Watcher of Arceus - Path of the Immortal
by The Shadow Master of Weapons
Summary: Watchers, the direct descendants of Arceus herself, sets of twins born with her power. Born in pairs, these twins were meant to bridge the gap that had come between humans and pokémon, one a gifted human, born beside a pokémon. Inseparable immortal twins, the godchildren wandered the world. But now, a single pair remains. Full summary inside. Reboot of Watcher of Arceus.
1. Chapter 1

Watcher of Arceus

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. Only the idea and OC's.

Author Notes:

-X-This will be used for scene breaks and for when the story switches to another character, but it does not mean that a new section of the story has started.

~xXx~ This will identify where each paragraph breaks.

"Human Speech" 'Character Thought' {Pokémon Speech}

Co-author: Catsithx Beta-Reader: Ravyn Arcadia

Chapter Rating: PG/14 Warnings: Mild Violence

Both Rating and Warnings will change with each chapter as needed for that select chapter. Future chapters will be rated for death and adult situations.

The following is a total and complete Reboot of the story "Watcher of Arceus".

~xXx~

Full Summary: Watchers, the direct descendants of Arceus herself, sets of twins born with the power to match their older brothers and sisters, the legendary pokémon. Born in pairs, these twins were meant to bridge the gap that had come between humans and pokémon early on in time, one gifted to look human, born beside a pokémon companion. Inseparable immortal twins, the godchildren wandered the world not to preach the word of their mother, but merely to promote peace. Over the course of history however, things have changed. Now, in modern times, a single pair of twins remain, the last of the once great godchildren.

~xXx~

Chapter 1

The city of Rustboro was running full swing as the mid morning hours rolled around. As usual, it was time for the summer line up of new products from the Devon Corporation for pokémon trainers and coordinators alike. Everything from new Poké-phones to Pokédexs were up for sale, as well as all manner of other items, just of the traveling pokémon trainer or coordinator.

The constant chatter of groups of people all waiting for the new line up to be revealed later that day and talk of preparing for the slowly approaching pokémon league were common topics of conversation throughout the city streets as yet another trainer walked into the city.

Easily hidden among the crowds of other trainers, dressed in just a plain tee-shirt and long pants, the only thing to set him apart from any other trainer were the blue tints to his black hair, the average height of the trainer easily let him slip into the crowds going completely unnoticed with his partner at his side. At just under six feet, he wasn't much to look at in his traveling gear. Much like himself, the espeon at his side was hardly noticed, easily weaving in and out of the crowd keeping up with her trainer.

"Any thoughts on lunch?" The trainer asked his partner quietly as he walked through the crowd, ignoring as much of the chatter as he could, instead listening for other things. As he kept walking however, he merely greeted with a strange silence from his partner prompting him to look down to the espeon. "Its unlike you to be so quiet for so long. What's on your mind Radara?" He asked before looking around for something to eat.

'I am concerned.' The voice that entered Thomas's head was all too familiar, female in tone, gentle, with just barely an echo to it. 'Are you sure we should be here, so close to 'home' at this time Thomas?' The voice asked as the espeon stopped for a few, Thomas stopping with the psychic feline.

"I know." Thomas replied quietly as he started to move again, knowing exactly what his partner was referring to. "Trust me Radara…I know." He quietly moved into a small outdoor poké-café. He was lucky to get the last empty seat as the waiter quickly came up. "Tea, any berry blend you have, hot, two sugars and honey, the largest size you have, and a small bowl of…" Thomas looked down to his partner who quickly told him what she wanted. "A small bowl of oran berry juice for my partner. If you have any fruit salad, I'd like a small cup of that as well." Thomas told the waiter as he sat back.

"Of course sir." The waiter said. "And is there anything else you'd like?"

"Do you have a wireless link to the Trainer Network?" Thomas asked, pulling out his poké-phone when the waiter nodded and went to fulfill his order. Thomas was quick to log into the Trainer Network, looking around at the recent news in the area, of course plastered with ads for all sorts of things.

'Are you sure you want to be here?' Radara asked once more as she took a seat beside him. 'You still haven't even decided if you are going to visit them one last time before…' Thomas merely nodded at her words before she could finish, a quick wave of his hand stopping her thoughts.

"If it happens, it happens." Thomas said looking down for a few, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but…" Thomas sighed a bit. He quickly went back to looking through the Trainer Network News trying to take his mind off the truth he knew had to happen. "I swear, there are more and more ads every month, asking for trades for the legendaries." He said trying to take his mind off things. "Look at this one, 5 million pokédollars for any of the legendary birds, an extra 2 million if its Lugia and Ho-oh, double for an egg or child. That's got to be record so far."

'Greed is a powerful motivator, but we still haven't heard the call. We can only assume that they are capable of handling themselves at this point.' Radara said as the waiter returned, placing the items on the table as Thomas thanked him. He looked to Radara who climbed up in the chair beside him, looking over her small bowl of juice, leaning over to have her drink. 'I still think that you should make up your mind about the Falston's however. You know what will happen and you can't put this decision off forever.'

Thomas just sighed again. "I know… believe me… I know." He said softly as he looked through the last of the things he wanted to. "Its not like this is the first time. Leaving like that is always hard." He leaned back a bit and merely looked to the sky for few, only to quickly look back down at the sounds of someone pulling a chair over to his table. "Can I help you?"

"Thomas… Thomas Falston right? Son of the lead Devon Corp researchers Andrew and Vivian Falston." The boy asked, looking just a bit younger then Thomas, and very eager about something. Dressed in some better traveling gear, and his pokéballs and badges in plain sight, it was easy to tell that boy was a trainer, and judging from sheer number of badges, an experienced one.

"Adopted son. Not that it appears to mean much to you…" Thomas stated as he looked the boy over alongside Radara, who was quietly peeking into his mind just to be safe.

"Fine fine, adopted son. Look, point is you are their son regardless right?" The boy stated as he pulled out his own poké-phone, and brought something up, before pointing it to Thomas to show off. "This is the new Poké-Phone BW-450." The boy stated showing off the image of a device very similar to the Unova regional pokédex, with some obvious additions. "Rumor has it that Devon Corp is working with Battle Company to produce the next generation of poké-phones, and that they are suppose to be shown off this year. How do I get one?" The boy was quick to make his intentions known as Thomas just stared at him.

"Are you really asking that?" Thomas stated rather annoyed with the attention as he moved to sip his tea and start on his salad. "Just check the stores, they can help you more then I can."

"Come on man, you're in with the big time. I hear your folks are suppose to be working on it and they got some prototypes working. If they didn't, then they wouldn't say that it would be making its appearance this fall. Come on, I have to have one." The boy repeated as he looked to Thomas.

In response, Thomas merely pulled out his own pokédex, a standard Hoenn model, and placed his base model poké-phone beside it. "See these." Thomas stated as he let the boy look at them a bit confused. "That's what I use, a basic type Hoenn Type-2 with extra memory that I update once a month, and an original touch screen poké-phone with folding secondary screen attachment. That's all I use, that's all I need, and more importantly, I'm not going to risk my foster parent's job just to give away something that isn't even out yet." Thomas told the boy who hardly seem deterred.

"Look, it's all cool man. I can pay. I'm going to be this year's champion after all. The regional Elite Four, the gyms, other trainers, none of them can stand in my way. Why as soon as I get my title, I'm going legend hunting." The boy smirked. "I'll be the first trainer ever to have one and I won't stop there, I'm going to collect them all myself." He stated rather assured of himself. "I've already acquired 22 of 29 Hoenn badges, not to mention I've got just as many badges from the other major Japan regions."

"I really don't know who you're trying to impress." Thomas stated having finished his tea and salad, Radara also finished with her juice. He had heard similar claims from other trainers ever since the start of the age of the trainer. "I don't know much of anything about the new brands of poké-phones, nor do I care about them. And as I said once before, I'm not interested in helping you, regardless of whether or not it would get my foster parents in trouble." Thomas stated, getting up to pay his bill.

Thomas's words hardly stopped the boy as he continued to follow him. "Come on dude, don't you want to help the future Japanese Grand Champion?" He laughed as Thomas merely started to walk off with Radara as his side. "Well, if cash doesn't interest you, how about a battle then? If you win, I'll give you a nice pay out, and if I win, you get me the new Poké-Phone BW-450."

Thomas merely ignored him now as he walked along, peeking back behind him a few times as he walked. 'Thomas, we appear to have a shadow.' Radara stated as they kept walking, but from her tone, it was easy to tell that this kid wasn't the issue.

"I've already seen him, but he doesn't act like he knows it's us, he's too inexperienced to be a bloodhound or even a squire." Thomas muttered very quietly. "But… this guy does give me an idea." Thomas smirked a bit as he rounded another corner, into an alleyway to cut across town. As he did though, the kid who was following him, just kept on coming.

"Thomas dude, come on. Why are you acting so high and mighty? Its just a phone, its not like I'm trying to steal a pokémon." The kid stated. Thomas just smiled a bit more before turning with a sudden annoyed frown.

"Look man, I'm not helping you. So you can take that big guy whose with you and leave me alone already. I'm not here to get anything from Devon Corp, I'm just passing through." He stated.

"Big guy whose with me?" The kid asked as he turned around to see a man at the end of the alleyway duck back into the street. "He's not with me." The kid stated.

"Really…" Thomas stated. "Cause I've watched him follow you around since you sat down at the café. If you think you're just going to rob me for your next phone, I'm going to repeat myself. I don't know anything about the BW-450. Now take that guy and leave." Thomas didn't really need to finish his statement, he could already see the kid going for his belt as he slowly turned to walk back towards the street mumbling something about Team Magma.

As soon as the kid called out one of his pokémon, Thomas quickly started through the rest of the alleyway with Radara and back into the more populated parts of the city making sure to hide in the crowds for a bit. "Well, at least that's one problem dealt with." He stated as he started to walk around once more. "Can't be too careful anymore these days. Seems like there are more and more of them every cycle. They keep up this recruitment of theirs and they won't be able to hide themselves any longer." He stated as he looked around, wondering just how many there could be in the city at this moment. It was a large productive city after all.

Despite that, he quickly pushed the thoughts out of his head as he moved on to find something to occupy his time while he concentrated on the real problems at him, namely his foster family, the Falstons.

The Falstons, Andrew and Vivian were lead researchers with the Devon Corporation. This meant two things to almost everyone else, first of all being that they were well respected and known throughout the Hoenn region and even other major parts of Japan as well. Secondly, this also meant that they were well cared for, with more then enough money, which Thomas often found portions of despite his lack of interest in.

What mattered to Thomas though was that they were the ones who had raised his as a child, and given him the name he now used. They had cared for him as their own child, unable to have one of their own, taking him in as an infant when his biological father had passed on, leaving only his two pokémon with Thomas, one being the espeon who served as his partner today, Radara.

They were always good to him, instilling him with many proper values and manners, making sure he knew how to care for himself and always cheering him on in their own ways. His father had been right to make friends with them, the pair raising Thomas well, even better than what his father could have hoped for. It just so happened that those same actions however would result in the hardest choice he had to make, and soon no less.

'There are ways of lessening this blow to them.' Radara chimed in knowing him oh so well once he began to think, sharing his thoughts to an extent.

"I just wish I didn't have to lie to them. Telling them the truth… it would be the same as killing them myself. I won't let them fall victim to the same fate that claimed Lea and Hansel." Thomas said as he walked along, the thoughts of what he had done to so many others starting to weigh heavily on him, memories of the families he had hurt still clear as day to him.

'Are you sure you should be here? Right now?' Radara asked looking up at him as she stayed at his side, doing her best to remain there even with the crowd, a small bit of mental influence from the espeon ensuring that they were like ghosts to those around, Thomas's words completely ignored. 'There is still time, you have 2 years before the process has run its course.'

"Its better to leave them early. We've had a few close encounters already, and even though I'm not going for the league, my face is becoming a little too well known." Thomas countered as he moved down a less crowded street towards the older part of town, away from all the action of Devon Corp and their fame. "Besides… I turn eighteen in a few days, and they'll want to celebrate that. I can at least give that much. Just like for us, eighteen is a big number, if for entirely different reasons."

'If you are sure, I won't argue.' Radara said as she merely continued to follow along. 'It is your decision and if you feel you are prepared for it, then I will not stop you.'

"And what is that supposed to mean." Thomas glared down at his partner as he walked.

'I know very well the importance of the start of the eighteenth year of your life, and how well your father coped with a party then. My mother made sure to impart certain memories on me to keep watch over you.' Radara stated not even caring for his look, knowing exactly what her meant.

"I thought we were past that…" Thomas stated, annoyed frown once more present on his face. He merely looked at her with it for a few before shaking his head and starting to walk on as normal.

As he walked down the street, his thoughts returned to his condition, or rather the condition that would soon take effect over him as it always had in the past, the same condition that his father had to hide, and his father's father before him. Soon, his body would stop aging, and that meant many things, most importantly on that list being that the world would take notice if he gave them time to see it.

This was his reason for having to leave the Falston's soon. He was sure that they would come to understand in time what he was, if he let them. Sadly though, there were other complications that prevented such an outcome as he walked with Radara letting him think his through on his own now.

As always, this was a hard thing for him, for his kind, or what had been his kind. With the knights always there now, Thomas couldn't be too careful as he looked around. He knew ultimately what he had to do, sever his connection with the family who had raised him this time and move on, return to the life that had become the norm for his kind.

He began to wonder how badly he would hurt his foster parents if he had faked his own death. Would they be accepting of his decision, accept the supposed fact that he was dead and give up on looking for him. If he merely walked away and vanished, he couldn't help but think that they would ruin themselves to find him, but it would give them hope in the end, but was that worth it. He knew there were other ways to get them to stop looking for him and disown him if he wanted them too, but he wanted them to remember the boy they had raised.

As he wandered and thought about things though, he found himself in the Rustboro City Park, where his thoughts were interrupted. His hiking pack was shaking, and he knew exactly what it was. Reaching around his back to the bottom of the pack, he unzipped a small side pocket and pulled out the source, one of his pokéballs, the sign that one of his pokémon wanted out. Opening the device to its proper size, he let out the pokémon at their request, the two legged jackal pokémon slowly stretching as she gave a loud audible yawn.

"Sleep well?" Thomas asked as he moved to take a seat after taking off his hiking pack looking over his pokémon, a lucario. Already a prized and somewhat rare pokémon for trainers to have, Thomas's lucario was even more valuable then many others. Not only were females of the species uncommon, but to have a female that was "shiny" was much more difficult to come by. Primarily yellow in color with a blue vest rather then the reverse, Thomas was proud of his fighting steel type pokémon, the aura pokémon having helped him out on numerous occasions.

She yawned again, but much smaller and continued to stretch, only to finally look at him with a large smile. 'Master.' In a similar manner to Radara, his lucario was also able to clearly communicate with her trainer, in a form very similar to telepathy, if through a different manner. Like Radara's voice, her voice was clearly female as well, but without the echo that came from Radara's unique link with Thomas, and a bit softer.

She smiled looking at Thomas as he sat back, the lucario already getting a few looks from those in the park, those few trainers in the area looking in, most with hints of jealousy. 'Are we back home yet?' She asked moving over to take a seat next to him, obviously shorter then him, but she didn't care as she looked around trying to figure out where she was.

"We're in Rustboro, so I guess that's close enough to be called home… for now…" Thomas said, only to add that small bit quietly under his breath. His lucario had heard his words, all of them. She had heard similar words before, but didn't question him, knowing that something was wrong, his tone and aura telling her that. Radara had often explained to her many times before however that it wasn't her place to question him, it was not a problem that she could help with, one that only he could handle, and would need to do alone.

This hardly stopped her from being concerned however, but she left it be and kept her smile. 'It feels nice to be back. Can we stop by the ocean? Its been so long since we've walked on a beach, I miss the feel of the sand.' She said as she looked to the northeastern section of the city, which housed the public beach.

Thomas smiled and gently patted her head. "Maybe later today Rebecca. There's a competition down there today and I'm not it the mood for a battle. Besides, its bound to crowded with some of the current prizes that I heard about." Thomas explained, failing to notice the group of young trainers that had come up to look on at the semi-rare pokémon. Thomas and his pokémon ignored them however as leaned back a bit more. "You hungry?"

'A little bit. I could use some exercise first though, those pokéballs are nice and quiet, but I always feel so much better after I move around for a while.' Rebecca smiled as she got up and waited for him, Thomas getting up right behind her.

"Rebecca was it?" One person stated as Thomas and both of his pokémon looked at the new comer, some man in a suit. "Tom Falston I believe. I haven't had the pleasure before. Excuse me if I got your name wrong, I've only heard of you in passing mention." The man stated. Just looking him over, Thomas could tell that this was another one of the Devon Corp higher ups, they would be the only ones with real money out and about right now, everyone else from out of region would be too busy at the Devon Corp Headquarters making sure things went smoothly for the upcoming events today.

The man was very well dressed, a solid red suit and a bit taller then Thomas and very much standing out. "Its Thomas, a bit more formal, but some friends do call me that. Either way, I seem to be at a disadvantage here. You said you've only heard of me in passing mention and yet here you are, apparently with a purpose." Thomas stated inspecting him.

"It was your lucario that gave you away. I heard rumors through the company that Andrew's boy had a prized pokémon, a shiny lucario, female to boot. Sure they are common enough in the wild, but to catch one is something else, doubly so for her looks." The man explained before Thomas raised a hand to interrupt him.

"I'm sorry, can I have a name to use first. Its obvious that you've grown accustomed to some deal of respect around here and I'm sure you'd prefer a name rather then merely sir." Thomas stated.

"Ah yes, where are my manners." The man laughed. He quickly held out his hand for Thomas to shake as he introduced himself. "I am Asmound Biggs, current head of Human Relations at Devon Corp, although I do dabble in security as well."

Thomas nodded as he spared a small glance to Radara, who merely shook her head. With his worry of Asmound possibly working for the knights gone, Thomas was a bit more relaxed, at least for now. "I see." Thomas said looking him over. "And what brings a traveling trainer like me a visit from someone like you?"

"Your lucario of course. Rare find if I do say so myself." Asmound stated looking over Rebecca, who was smiling a bit at the praise, only to smile and even blush a bit more when he continued. "Good muscles, sleek fur, well kept and groomed, obviously a decent fighter just looking at her. Strange name though, Rebecca…" He stated. "Odd choice for a pokémon."

"She reminded of someone I met long ago, acts just like her." Thomas explained. "Couldn't figure out what to name her early on when she was a riolu, when I made a comment that she reminded of another person who happened to be name Rebecca. She seemed to respond well to the name and I never saw a reason to argue. Call it my way of holding onto a memory of a long forgotten friend."

Asmound merely nodded. "I see." He stated as he continued to study the shiny lucario. "She would make a nice addition to any team, is she fast? And what about her aura talent? Does she use that properly, can she see aura well enough?"

"You're asking a lot of questions, but not the one that you seem so eager to. What are you after?" Thomas countered as he started to study Asmound in a similar manner to his study of Rebecca.

"What pokémon do you have with you?" Asmound asked earning a rather quizzical look from Thomas, not expecting that question.

"My espeon, and my lucario here as you see, but I also carry two more, a ninetales and an absol." Thomas answered after a few, wondering where this line of questions was going, but already having a few good ideas. Ultimately, Thomas was sure that Asmound was going ask one of two things, either hoping to have Thomas possibly join Devon Corp, possibly as a sponsored trainer, maybe even a guard, or perhaps even a spokesperson. The other option that stood out in Thomas's mind as the usual request from other trainers, asking to trade, although Thomas didn't see any pokéballs on Asmound's belt. Of course, that didn't mean much, high class business didn't exactly like to broadcast that they carried around pokémon, and often carried them around inside their jackets or pockets.

"I see… I see." Asmound stated as he looked over Thomas. "Small team though, but I can see it being a little balanced. Any reserves?" He asked.

"Might I inquire what the final question is going to be?" Thomas asked. "This is starting to feel like a quiet interrogation." Thomas stated showing his annoyance while attempting to remain polite.

Asmound merely remained quiet for a few, obviously thinking about something, before pulling out his own Hoenn region pokédex and pulled up a short list of six pokémon. "I can tell you value your pokémon, and so I won't even try to insult you with some pitiful offer. I have with me right now six league level pokémon. And I am will to make a fair trade. Lucarios are rare to capture, and rarer still for a shiny female. Pick any two and I won't argue."

At Asmound's words, Rebecca took a step back, and right next to Thomas as she looked over Asmound.

Thomas didn't even look over the list, merely not accepting the pokédex from him. "Rebecca chose to follow me one day, and even caught herself for me in a sense. It's not my place to choose a new person to lead her when she obviously chose me and has stayed at my side ever since." Thomas stated. "She may not be 'human', but she is very much well aware of things around her and I don't think she wants to leave my side." He stated looking to the lucario with a smile who quickly smiled back and nodded.

Asmound looked him over for a few more, before nodding. "Everyone has a price." He stated rather calmly as he put his pokédex away. "I can see that additional pokémon are obviously not suitable for you and I can respect that kind of decision. I suppose there are other shiny lucarios out there. We'll see if I have any luck finding one. If not, then I'll just have to figure out your price then." He nodded and slowly walked off.

"Well… at least that was easy for once." Thomas smirked as he patted Rebecca's head once more. "At least he seems nice enough not to bother us again for a while."

He started to walk once more back into the city proper as he looked around, Rebecca on one side, still stretching to work her muscles with Radara on his other side.

"You said you wanted some exercise first Rebecca…" Thomas said quietly while thinking, looking around as they neared the pokémon district, tons of shops and wide open spots for trainers and their pokémon to do all sorts of things, from buying specialty made clothing, to training.

Rebecca smiled as she looked around, but nothing looked interesting until she saw a large poster for the beach competitions. Thomas had taught her the basics of reading, and understood many words, even if she still had some trouble with many longer words, she easily saw some of the contests that were being held at the beach and while most didn't interest her, not even the battles for now. However, there some that looked fun including two that really caught her eyes, a weight throwing contest and an obstacle course.

'Thomas, are you sure about the beach?' Rebecca asked as she pointed out the sign. 'I know you like keeping us all in shape and I enjoy some good weight lifting from time to time, and it could be fun to run that obstacle course.' She smiled looking at him with hopeful eyes.

Thomas stopped and looked at her, then back to the large posters that advertised the various contests, as well as some prizes such as updated poképhones, pokédexs, and other such accessories, including a few small cash prizes.

"You really sure you want to head down there. Most of the competitions are already underway, and its bound to be crowded." Thomas stated as he looked at her.

Rebecca just smiled a bit more as she nodded. 'Its not wrong to want to show off every once in a while, is it?' She asked knowing that while Thomas hated being in the spotlight, she enjoyed showing off a bit, mostly for him more than the attention of anyone else.

She smiled, secretly loving his attention, his praise. Over the years that she had spent with him, Rebecca was unaware of just how much she had come to want his approval, for anything she could to hear the words saying that she had done good.

Thomas merely looked over her for a few, but eventually nodded after looking to Radara. "I suppose we could join the show for a little while." He said with a slight smile of his own. "I guess it can't hurt to let you show off some."

Radara nodded lightly, thinking that this kind of distraction could possibly do him well.

~xXx~

The beach was packed, not a single spot left open to swimmers for the day, everyone there present to either participate or merely watch the events unfold, large sections of the beach separated off for the events, some for battle, others for events, and some merely for refreshments.

Thomas walked along with his two pokémon at his side. He could easily make out the contest registration tents in the middle of the beach, his pokémon already getting looks as he moved, many other trainers present sizing him up as he moved to register Rebecca for a few things. "Well, there's the weight throwing area, looks like it might also be target throwing, so possibly two scoring systems. There appears to be the obstacle course over there, right alongside the target range." Thomas nodded as he looked around seeing the large strips of beach cut off into sections for many things.

The three that stood out easily identified were the obstacle courses, two separate courses, one for smaller pokémon, for pokémon like Rebecca, lucarios and others short in height and small in size, while the other was clearly for larger pokémon, nearly twice the size. Of course they were hardly large enough for truly large pokémon, not fit for such pokémon like a snorlax and their kind. Both of the courses had their twists and turns, constructed tunnels and hoops, meant to test speed and agility.

The other two kinds of easily identified courses, were the target range, stretching out into the water, filled with large heavy metal targets to be knocked over, and right beside it were a few throwing ranges, easily identified by the large number of diskettes and iron weights piled up at the end of the strips, various water pokémon still retrieving the last of them from the water.

The other sections and strips of the beach however, were harder to identify, some equipment placed about, but nothing going on at the moment. One of the easily identified things of the courses however was the fact that it looked like all of them needed hands for the days contests, a fact further proved by the banners for today showcasing humanoid pokémon. Aside from a few trainers still picking out their smaller prizes, everyone else merely waiting for the next round to start up, a series of small clock posts showing a timer for the next set of rounds in about nine minutes.

Thomas made his way to the registration tents and quickly looked over the list of contests, Rebecca just going with what she had seen earlier, the small size obstacle course and the weight throwing competitions. With that settled, Thomas moved up to the small group currently in charge of registration since the next crowd hadn't really arrived yet.

"I'd like to enter for two of the competitions." Thomas stated out as he walked up to main table, quickly getting some attention.

"Alrighty, today is the humanoid pokémon competitions, but just a few questions first. And I'll need your pokédex for a few." The man stated as he pulled out a clipboard leaving Thomas to pull out his pokédex. "First off, your name, which pokémon you want to enter in what competitions, and the entrance fee." The man stated as Thomas opened up his pokédex.

"The name's Thomas Falston. Not competing for major prizes, just fun today. My lucario here wants to try testing her skills out. I'll have her try out the weight throwing contest and obstacle course." Thomas explained. The second he mentioned his name however, the man quickly gave him a second longer look and took his pokédex.

"Falston… Andrew and Vivian' son?" The man asked, to which Thomas nodded. "You understand that you won't get anything major, minor cash prizes at best. Additionally, you won't be able to compete in the final winner matches at the end of the day even if you do you win." The man stated knowing the rules for family members of employees competing.

"Already said I wasn't looking for major prizes. This is just for fun, to see how some hard work and training has paid off." Thomas explained.

"Very well, it is my job to make sure you understand the rules. Now, for the weight throwing contest, free throw or target throw?" The man nodded as he opened up his laptop and connected it to Thomas's pokédex for a few. "Looks like you're missing last week's system update, may want to get that. Devon Corp is preparing for a total network makeover, with full customization for trainers." The man smirked as he flipped the screen over, showing Thomas's Trainer I.D. and a picture of Rebecca, as well as the two competitions he has asked to sign up for, Thomas selecting the free throw contest. "This all looks about right." He asked as Thomas hit the next key on the touch screen, which showed the prizes and competition times for the next set of rounds.

"Yep, that about covers it." Thomas nodded looking to Rebecca who smiled back and nodded herself.

"That just leaves the entrance fee, cash or T.B.T." The man asked.

"We'll go with the Trainer Bank Transfer, I don't like carrying much cash on hand." Thomas replied hitting the T.B.T. button again and bringing it up.

"And would you like to make a donation while you're at it. Devon Corp is funding this year's P.A.R.C.A. donation drive. We'll match all donations given by trainers this year." The man smiled, to which Thomas nodded, paying double the entrance in donations today. "Just give your thumbprint here and you'll be ready." The man stated as he held up Thomas's Pokédex for him, the thumbprint tab opening up to confirm the transfer. He placed his thumb down on the small pad and in just a few seconds, it was done. "Thank you for coming, here's you're competition number, you'll be number seven ninty-two competing in group B."

Thomas nodded once more as he moved to let the next person up, noticing a few more people showing up as well, many of the other trainers around with badges on as well, letting their pokémon stretch a bit as well. "Want a snack bar or something?" He asked as he moved to the concession stands, which were as always busy.

'I am fine, but thank you.' Radara chimed in as she looked around. 'If you require my presence, I will be resting in the shade over there. You have enough looks due to Rebecca's presence and I will only get in the way once the competition starts up.' She explained as Thomas gave a nod, the image of Radara's resting place shown to him in very vivid detail as he looked over to the edge of the beach, seeing the large tree that she had pointed out to him.

Rebecca on the other head was looking to the concession stands, seeing if anything there interested her, which proved very fruitful. A mago berry fruit bar was on display and happened to be her favorite. As soon as Thomas had walked up, Rebecca instantly pointed it with an eager look, her ears up very hopeful. "I'll take two of those, mago berry, and…" Thomas gave a quick look over everything else. "And one blueberry donut."

The lady was quick to get his order as he paid her. "You'd better hurry up and get to the stages." She smiled as she took the cash and moved to get his change. "If you get there early, you often get the best seats."

Thomas nodded. "I know how that works." He smiled and nodded. "Keep the change." He said before just walking off, handing Rebecca her two fruit bars while snacking on his own donut while making his way to the competition areas, just in time for the first announcement to sound, the weight lifting courses nearly ready, and first throw taking place in five minutes.

Hearing the announcement, Rebecca smiled some as she rushed a little bit to finish her snacks, before hurrying over to where everyone was starting to gather up. Many other trainers started to gather, some of them having been competing all day with various pokémon, others just joining the activities much like himself, but in a small rush to get registered for the events.

Thomas merely just went about his usual way of things, ignoring others for now as he waited, letting Rebecca stretch her arms and legs, preparing for the events. Before things could go much further however, Thomas felt something, that all too familiar feeling.

'Thomas…' Radara's voice chimed in his head.

"I know… I can feel it." Thomas mumbled under his breath as he gave a small glance to the sky. He could just barely make out the moon right now, able to see that tint and glow that was unique to his kind, the immortal children of Arceus, the watchers and their legendary brethren. "Has it really been that long?" He asked just as quietly. "Do you know who?"

'I do not recall entirely. They do not reincarnate nearly as often as we do, but I do recall wings, large wings, feathered, not scales.' Radara replied as she thought on the matter, trying to figure out who would be next in line, as their help could very well be needed if word got out about the legendaries giving birth to young, their lives could get interesting very quickly. Thomas closed his eyes for what he thought was just a second though before Rebecca gave him a light nudge.

"And so begins the next round of competitions." An announcer shouted over the crowds, the megaphone he used easily getting the usual attention. "First up are the 100 yard dash, the weight lifting and the throwing arm contests. All participants please get your pokémon ready and head to the designated stands."

"I suppose its show time then." Thomas smiled as he patted Rebecca once more for making sure he stayed on top of things and moved over to the proper waiting area with a rather large crowd of other trainers. Many trainers were already eyeing each other and sizing up their pokémon against one another as Thomas walked up, Rebecca getting the usual number of looks, but Thomas could tell that while they recognized lucarios as a powerful fighting type, the looks she received as a competitor were vastly outnumbered by the looks she got for being what she was.

On the other end of things, Thomas was also looking around to see who all might be worth noting in the competition, a machoke on side, an infernape just joining the group, and a few others standing out. The groups were mostly divided by three things, including size and evolution stage, the two things that Thomas actually considered important, knowing first hand that the 'average' strength of a pokémon hardly defined the group.

Of course, looking around also revealed one large bit of information, everyone around appeared to be a skilled trainer, Thomas even seeing a few previous league level trainers who were in the news at some point or another, getting special recognition for competing at the Hoenn League, and hardly seeing new trainers present.

"Well, at least this set up will keep things interesting." Thomas smiled some as he waited, most of the crowd present as one of the contest representatives showed up.

"Alright, gather around." The lady stated as she looked over the crowd. "I'm sure you all know the rules, but just in case you don't here's a general reminder. Each of your pokémon have already been assigned a weight to throw. You can always let your pokémon throw a larger weight, but that's on you. To qualify, you must follow these three rules. One, your pokémon are not allowed to use any move to assist them, it must be thrown with their strength alone. Two, your pokémon must throw the assigned weight or higher. And finally three, no interfering with anyone else's throw." She stated as she pulled out a list. "As usual, farthest throw wins, and the distance is counted when your weight breaks the water's surface. Do your best to keep them in bounds and its good, if it lands outside the lines shown by the bowies, it doesn't count, and you only get one throw." She stated as she pulled out a tablet. "First up, trainer fifty-three, Yui and his machoke." She stated as she pointed out which weight the machoke had to toss to qualify, the trainer of course smirking when the machoke picked one four sizes up.

"And it looks like we have a few showboats." Thomas stated quietly as he turned to check on Radara as he waited his turn, not really caring much for the competition as the machoke threw its weight. There were a few impressed gasps from other trainers, and even Rebecca was a bit impressed. "Relax, you're not here to beat anyone remember." Thomas smiled. "You wanted come here just for some fun and exercise."

Rebecca smiled at Thomas's words, reassured about her purpose there, remembering that she was only there to do her best, to impress Thomas and no one else. With that, she quickly nodded and continued stretching as the next competitor was called up, also going with a weight larger then what they were required to use.

Thomas merely ignored the others present as he waited, not even watching their throws as another dozen pokémon came up and made their throws. With Rebecca watching the other pokémon and Thomas's general lack of care and attention to them however, neither of them noticed the little things that were happening out in the ocean as pokémon took their turns.

Radara was slow to catch on however, but not before it was Thomas's turn, getting called up with Rebecca.

Thomas moved up with Rebecca at his side, the judge saying that he needed Rebecca to throw a sixty-five pound weight to qualify. Rebecca looked at the selected weights, before picking a larger seventy-five pound weight not wanting to get left behind since everyone else seemed to be picking larger weights.

Rebecca tested her grip a few times, lifting the weight up and down a bit, pleased that she could lift it easily enough without trouble, looking to Thomas who smiled back and nodded. Her own smile grew as she moved to the marked square in the sand where she could throw it.

She quietly kneeled down with the weight just a little bit behind her on the ground as Thomas gave her plenty of room. She took a small breath before quickly reaching back and grabbing the weight, lifting it up clean over her head with a nice large arc, releasing it just before it went over her. In her rush however to try and get some good power behind it, she slipped a bit in the sand, falling over with a small surprised gasp.

Thomas stayed put, but was obviously worried when she landed face first in the sand, Rebecca quickly looking up to find out where she had throw the weight, seeing it fly just a bit off, not entirely straight. The judge was quick to pull out her binoculars to watch the weight. It didn't take long for it to come back down, just barely in the boundary line as Rebecca sighed quickly getting back. The judge waited as a marill quickly surfaced where Rebecca's weight had landed on the water's surface. Rebecca was then quick to the judge as she dusted herself off, the judge hitting a key on her laptop to register the distance between the starting pad and the collar on the marill's tail. "One hundred and fifty-three feet for trainer seven ninety-two, Thomas and his lucario. Not bad, first place so far." The judge nodded as Rebecca quickly smiled, just barely ahead of the machoke, the current pack leader. Its trainer was already glaring at both himself and Rebecca as Thomas smiled rather impressed with her performance.

"Wow, that was very good." He congratulated her when Radara's voice chimed in again.

'Thomas, look to the ocean. I sense great amounts of anger and just barely a small ping of fear far out in the water.' Radara's voice sounded as she sat up, intently watching the water. Thomas looked back to her, giving her a worried look, Rebecca able to pick up on his sudden worry as he turned to her.

"Rebecca, what you sense out on the water? Far to the east?" Thomas asked quietly as she gave him an even look of confusion. Still, seeing Thomas's worry, she did as she asked, quietly using her aura sight to try and see something, but she couldn't see anything.

'Thomas… this anger… I recognize it…' Radara stated as she got up and quickly walked over to them. 'Gyarados, at least a dozen of them.' Her voice normally calm and collected reflected her worry, slow and nearly monotone as she dashed up to him. 'And they are coming this way.' Thomas knew that could only mean one thing.

"Umm… excuse me…" Thomas spoke up as he neared the judge. "What's that way out there that looks like its causing lots of waves." Thomas asked the judge who looked at him with the same look of confusion that Rebecca had given him. A gentle push from Radara's mind however peaked the judge's own curiosity as she looked out with her binoculars, maximizing the zoom function as she gasped out.

"Young man, you have a very good set of eyes." She stated seeing a trainer on a lapras, the usual choice of pokémon used by trainers for water travel, its trainer waving desperately at the beach, just barely noticeable on its back, both going as fast as the lapras could carry them. Behind them, sure enough just as Radara had stated, was a pack of gyarados, roaring out and looking like they were ready to attack, the judge only able to merely guess that the glow from one of their mouths was a charging hyper mean. The judge quickly pulled out her walkie-talkie. "Someone get the coast guard, we got a trainer getting chased by a pack of gyarados off the coast, unknown distance, too far out for my binoculars to calculate, and they are mad." She stated. As soon as she said it though, other judges began looking out the water to see if what she has said was true.

With so many of the judges looking out the water, other trainers were quick to pick up on it, the lapras out in the ocean growing closer and closer, if just barely visible. What was visible however, was the sudden eruption of water, one of the gyarados attacking the lapras now, the column of water that it had kicked up very much visible from the beach.

Talk began to spread as the objects in the water began to grew steadily closer. "Radara, what's going on out there?" Thomas quickly asked knowing that although they weren't legendary pokémon, gyarados easily lived up to their nickname of the angry pokémon, and a pack of them on the rampage was never a good sign.

'Now that they are closer, I can feel the trainer's mind. He was on a small fishing boat, and apparently disturbed a nest. My guess is that they disturbed their annual migration, perhaps the crew was deep-sea fishing, diving possibly. In any event, they sunk the boat, and while the others got away, or so the trainer's hopes, the group appears to have converged on chasing him.' Radara explained as she neared the water.

"Can you handle that many?" Thomas asked quietly. "And more importantly, when can you teleport those two to safety?"

'He's out of range, and if I want to get them both, I'll have to wait even longer.' Radara explained as the beach goers watched a second, and third column of water rise up in the distance after the trainer and his lapras. Words of worry began to rise among the judges and everyone else on the beach now, even more so when someone shouted out something about raging pokémon. A few of the less experienced trainers were already starting to leave in fear. 'As for trying to contain them. I don't think I'll be able to do that without help. We need to identify the alpha and either redirect them, scare them, or defeat them. With so much anger, I cannot communicate with them however.'

Thomas nodded at Radara's words looking around. "Well, one thing is for sure, this party is over." He stated quickly moved to the water's edge. "How soon until you can teleport them to us?"

'I can lock onto the lapras, and teleport that here, but they are still too far out for me to grab them both. I won't have a chance to focus in that water if I teleport out to join them, so I would be unable to teleport them back.' Radara explained as she took a seat on the water's edge herself, clearing her mind to try and increase her own power. Thomas understood exactly what she meant though, just like himself, Radara always preferred solid ground under her feet, never having been good at swimming in this life, and with the water so chaotic out there thanks to the gyarados's multiple hyper beams, she wouldn't be able to safely concentrate. 'I am going to need assistance detouring them no matter what. You may wish to return Rebecca as well if you wish to avoid attention.'

Thomas nodded as many of the other trainers around them began to back off as well. "Look, don't worry, we'll be fine." Thomas quickly stated as he returned a very surprised and unwanting Rebecca to her pokéball. He then just as quickly began to look around, seeing what kind of options there were as Radara concentrated on just getting the one trainer to safety right now. Although today was definitely the humanoid competitions, he could see plenty of ice pokémon around, seeing a few ice types as he started to think up a plan. He quickly turned to the judge giving a light tug on her sleeve to get her to look at him. "How many judges and volunteers have ice type pokémon." He quickly demanded, his own eyes giving off a gentle flash to get the judge to give a quick answer to the best of her knowledge.

"We keep all types on hand, with focuses on water, electric, fire, psychic, and ice types to help keep everything running smooth. The ice types help with any of the concession stands that need to keep things frozen, and they help with the ice pillars in some of the later challenges." The judge stated not noticing that gentle psychic push in her mind.

"Get them all out and on the beach, any of them who can use ice beam or anything close to it. We can make a frozen barricade to keep the gyarados away from the beach. If they get too close to the city, they could cause a ton of damage." He stated as he looked around closing his eyes for a second. "Gyarados… water and dragon type… susceptible to… electric types. Ice types work well too… but having them create a barricade is much better."

His thoughts were interrupted when a few other trainers came up to him. "What are you thinking?" One of them quickly asked also recognizing the threat if those raging gyarados got close. Thomas quickly looked up and over them as they gave him rather determined looks back.

'They are in range. Whatever you are planning, do it fast, they are getting close.' Radara's voice chimed in as the jewel atop her head began to glow, her fur standing on end, seconds later, the lapras and trainer appearing right next to the beach, just above the water. At the same time, sirens sounded alerting the beach goers to the obviously hostile and incoming pokémon.

"Took them long enough." Thomas grumbled as the turned the trainers. "If we can get enough ice types using ice beam, we can slow them, and even give any electrical pokémon here a good spot to stand and drive them off. We need to find the alpha and drive it back. If we can do that, then we can get them to return to the ocean." Thomas explained as he turned to the judge. "Well, hurry up, spread the word, we need ice and electric types now." He half shouted looking to Radara who was kneeling a bit as she recovered from the long range teleportation of the trainer and his pokémon, who was already on the beach begging for help.

The judge shook her head and quickly nodded as Thomas's words finally clicked, making the call, several older trainers and even a few pokémon rangers running up to beach. Thomas was quick to move in, to what he assumed to be the lead ranger with the other trainers right behind. "We need to act fast. If we get enough pokémon to use ice beam, we can form a barricade of sorts." Thomas quickly explained pointing out to the water giving a rough arc for what he thought would make the best barricade. "That should keep them back. If we can then target the alpha, and drive that one away, the rest should follow. I suggest a large number of electrical attacks all focused together, gyarados are highly susceptible to the combination of ice and electricity. As raging mad as they are, there is no way you'll be able to just 'tame' them right now."

"Good thinking kid." The ranger stated as they took control Thomas running back up to Radara.

"Any chance you found the alpha yet?" Thomas quickly asked as he looked around, over half the beach empty now. He naturally assumed that the largest of the gyarados would be the alpha, but he knew that was just hopeful thinking, as none of the oncoming pokémon really stood out, just rushing in and preparing another set of hyper beams, the first one connecting in the water not even a few yards off the coastline. "You guys may want to hurry up." He called out as Radara quickly put up a barrier just in time to barely hold off the next two hyper beams fired their way, the massive green wall already cracked despite just being brought to life, quickly fading away. "My espeon can't hold them off forever." He shouted as two of the trainers near him also called out their pokémon to help Radara with the barriers to hold off the hyper beams.

The rangers were quick to take action now, leading the pokémon on as the police showed up to help keep order as best they could. It was easy to see which ranger was in charge as the man charged up to the best, calling out for all the ice types around them, his own partner a walrein moved as fast it could behind him.

"Drop it now." The ranger called out as soon as the other ice types were ready, trainers all around the beach helping out. "ICE BEAM!" The ranger screamed out as loud as he could, his partner quickly firing the blue icy beam into the water just as Radara and her helpers dropped the barrier. Several other beams followed the first into the water, a massive thick sheet of ice forming starting on the beach and quickly spreading out into the ocean towards the incoming gyarados.

The gyarados hardly stopped their assault however, once again charging up more hyper beams as they neared the beach, blasting into the ice now as they raged on. Radara and her helpers alongside Thomas were quick to get on the ice, running up about halfway to block another wave of the incoming onslaught. Following Thomas's lead, the rangers and other trainers present moved out as well to get into better range to help defend the beach, and even more important, the city.

'Thomas, the third one from the right, with the broken fang, he is their alpha.' Radara stated as she used her claws to keep from slipping, slowly advancing out, creating small barriers to keep the worst of the hyper beams from hitting anything important.

Thomas made sure to stick fairly close to the lead ranger and quickly pointed it out as the rest of the pokémon with them started to move out onto the ice to get in range to defend against the gyarados as well. "That one, with the broken fang. He's the alpha." Thomas shouted out to the ranger pointing him out as he nearly slipped when Radara held back another hyper beam. "Subdue him, tame him, repel him… anything and the rest should follow." He stated as he looked around.

"You sure about that?" The ranger shouted back.

"That's the one my espeon showed me to be the alpha and I trust her with my life." Thomas shouted back ducking under a large shard of ice that had been blown free when one of the barriers broke, letting a weakened hyper beam threw. He could easily see that this wasn't going well. "Hurry up, we got a lot of pokémon and trainers out here, not to mention if one of those attacks makes it to the city."

'Thomas, if they can distract him long enough, I can get inside his head. Break his concentration and I can get him to retreat.' Radara stated as calmly as she could, but her voice was strained, tired even. They would have to hurry if she wanted to make this happen.

The ranger could tell that pokémon defending them were quickly getting tired, even though they were picky about which attacks to block. "Come on, everyone gather up and focus on that one, the one with the broken fang." The ranger cried out ushering them forward still, the trainers and other rangers getting the message and focusing on the one gyarados now, but still trying to keep them all from advancing further.

As soon as they all started to focus on the alpha gyarados however, the whole pack of them started to try and retaliate against the trainers and rangers directly and things took a turn for the worse still when one of the gyarados jumped clean out of the water. Having angled itself to dive right into the ice sheet, breaking through with partial success, although it was left stranded where it was, even though it could still fight back.

The only good point to all of this however is that the gyarados's rampant use of hyper beam attacks was taking its toll, starting to drain them at last as the group split into two, one to focus on the gyarados on the ice, the other group going after the alpha now.

With the alpha now under direct attack and losing its concentration to fatigue, Radara once again stepped up, this time with Thomas's help, Thomas doing all he could to help his espeon partner in getting into the alpha's mind. It took some work, but soon enough, Radara was in. "Quick, try to tame him with that capture top of yours." Thomas called out, not truly familiar with the device used by rangers.

Still, his words were enough as the lead ranger moved into action running to the edge of the ice sheet and going work. He pulled out his capture styler and immediately launched the stylus that it held. "Capture on!" He shouted out going work, the stylus flying towards the gyarados beginning to circle around and around the alpha, Radara doing her best to keep it still, Thomas concentrating himself, lending what skill he had to his partner. The device began to spin faster and faster now, a solid ring appearing around the gyarados as it slowly closed in.

The alpha did thrash around a bit, nearly knocking the device away, but Radara and Thomas only worked harder, both of their eyes glowing rather brightly now as the device was nearly finish, the ranger spinning his capture styler around harder and harder, until at last, the cycle was done. The ring finished and closed around the gyarados, while still angry, finally open to listening. "Please gyarados, there is no need for you to be angry, we don't mean to hurt you." The ranger shouted as the gyarados slowly started to calm down, before roaring out.

The other gyarados slowed their assaults, but still prepared one more volley as the ranger called everyone to back off and let them be for a few, even if everyone still stayed on edge. Between the capture stylus however and Radara's influence, the alpha was slowly calming down. "Please, we beg of you, return to your home, end this violence. There is no need for this destruction."

"Radara?" Thomas asked quietly falling over on the one knee and starting to slide around a bit, grabbing onto one of the many cracks to stay still.

'Its working. Between our efforts and the capture tool, he is calming.' Radara sighed as she slowly began to weaken her hold slowly, letting the gyarados move fully once more. This wasn't quiet enough to straight up end the stare down between the trainers and pack of gyarados however.

For several minutes, no one made a real move, just staying there, watching each other, prepared for the fight to resume, but ultimately just waiting. It felt like the longest to almost everyone, Thomas of course experienced with such things and paying attention not to the gyarados now, but the other trainers, far more concerned with their actions.

His worry was unwarranted in the end however, the gyarados first to move, the alpha giving a small cry, before diving back into the water, the others moving to follow it. Radara teleported the last one, the one who was stranded on the ice underneath the water to follow the rest as everyone took a deep breath, Thomas falling onto his backside panting. "Radara… we should leave." He stated and no sooner did he say it, the two of them disappeared in a bright flash of light.

Now sitting back on the coast in a small cluster of trees, both of them laid back taking a much needed breather. "Well… that could have been a lot better. I think we'll just ignore the contest for now though." He said looking to beach and seeing everyone start helping each other off the ice sheet and back to shore, several fire pokémon being called out now to deal with the ice.

"Next time… next time…" Thomas started, but not really sure where he wanted to go with it.

'Next time, they can handle the mess.' Radara finished for him with a weak smile, but knowing that it wouldn't be like that, they would help anyway.

"Let's just go get a hotel room and sleep this mess off. All that work… my head is pounding." Thomas smirked as he slowly got up, moving over to pat Radara on the head a few times, earning a quiet purr from the psychic feline.


	2. Chapter 2

Watcher of Arceus

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. Only the idea and OC's.

Author Notes:

-X-This will be used for scene breaks and for when the story switches to another character, but it does not mean that a new section of the story has started.

~xXx~ This will identify where each paragraph breaks.

"Human Speech" 'Character Thought' {Pokémon Speech}

Co-author: Catsithx Beta-Reader: Ravyn Arcadia

Rating: PG/14 Warnings: Mild Violence

Both Rating and Warnings will change with each chapter as needed for that select chapter.

~xXx~

Chapter 2 :

Once more, he was back in the city park, but this time in the heart of the park, which was rather dead for the time of day. Thomas was leaning back on the bench, his head still pounding, having exerted his mental abilities far too much for his own good while on the beach. Of course the alternative was several times worse, but that hardly helped him now, feeling as drained as he was. Even Radara, the mighty espeon partner beside him now was drained, such use of the powers she possessed still taking their toll, despite being a pure psychic type.

Already word has spread clean throughout the city of what had transpired on the beach and, thankfully for Thomas, there was no word of his personal involvement during what had transpired, having been forced to use certain talents out the open like he had been. As it stood, the beaches were now jam packed with people, helping to clean the mess and trying to figure out exactly what had happened, leaving Thomas and Radara in a much needed and deserved silence. He reached into his bag that sat beside him, having gotten a few things from the store, and not going lightly like he normally would, he pulled out the three real treats of the day.

For his espeon, Thomas had let her pick out any treat she wanted, always going for her favorite, a small piece of mixed berry cheesecake, top of the line all the way. While she usually preferred the simple pleasures of life, there were a few modern day treats that she enjoyed, and nothing compared to the small delicacy that Thomas had gotten for her. She would take her time with her wonderful and tasty snack, the package opening up at her will before Thomas even set it down, a small piece getting pulled off and to her awaiting mouth, already purring at the thought of it.

For himself however, Thomas had picked up something vastly different. Before anything else however, he took out a small herbal remedy that he hoped would quell the constant beating in his head, taking a small sip of the potent and bitter drink, before pulling out his own snack, a small stack of homemade blueberry buttermilk pancakes, a wonderful and filling treat, to be topped with a little bit of strawberry syrup.

Of course, there was still one more thing to do before he could eat his snack, pulling out the final package that he had picked up, a rather large and very heavily packed sandwich, filled with plenty of various kinds of meat, and seasoned with a somewhat spicy Italian based dressing, and further lined with plenty of vegetables. Neither Radara nor Thomas had much interest in the sandwich, but Thomas knew he had to reward one more person today, pulling out the pokéball and releasing its occupant, a somewhat hurt and displeased lucario now standing before him.

'Thomas… how could you…' Rebecca whined, her ears down, giving him a rather sad and somewhat distant look. 'I could have helped, don't keep locking me away everything you think there's trouble. What if something happened…' She whined as Thomas just smiled.

"I told you nothing would happen, I just didn't want you getting hurt. You're a strong melee fighter, but you still haven't mastered the use of your aura spheres." Thomas said. "You wouldn't have been able to do much out there and I can't keep track of everything."

'But…you could have been…' Rebecca started, only to find a finger on her nose.

"Don't argue today." Thomas said with an even larger smile handing her the treat she enjoyed the most, earning a surprised gasp. "Made with everything you like. Double meat, no cheese, no mayo, extra sauce, seasoned bread, full foot long sandwich."

Rebecca gasped once more lightly in surprise now as she looked at him. She knew that this was not a cheap sandwich as she looked over to Radara who nodded, and then saw the espeon's treat. 'What… what is this for?' She asked rather dumbfounded, knowing that Thomas would rather not have spent large sums of money if he could avoid it, preferring to only get the basics.

"As far as I'm concerned, you still got first place today, before they cancelled the competitions." He smirked and patted her head, scratching behind her ears lightly, Rebecca unable to help herself, but to lean in closer, enjoying the feel of his hands paying such nice attention to her, and even more, praising her. Although she was still worried, she had gotten what she had really wanted most today, his attention and affection, unable to not dawn her own smile. "There, everything's alright." He reassured her, setting his bad down in front of him, opening up a spot for her to join them on the bench.

"Sit down, enjoy your reward. You've certainly earned it." He nodded as he leaned back, Rebecca quick to take the open seat next to him, leaning into him as he wrapped his arm around her. "There, see. Everything is fine."

She smiled and nodded herself, opening up her sandwich and digging into it, the sandwich having everything she wanted and even better, being a perfectly balanced meal for her kind to boot. As she started on her meal however, Thomas finally opened up his and started on them, or rather was about to when someone spoke up behind him.

"Now this is a rather large surprise. Since when did you get into the habit of going all out on treating your pokémon, but only getting something so small and not so fancy for yourself." The male voice stated as Thomas quickly turned to see who was standing behind him.

"Andrew!?" Thomas was quick to stand up in shock, not expecting to see his step-father there behind him, just barely shorter then himself, but even in his lab coat, one could see the man's strong build, able to tell with certainty that he enjoyed his sports in his spare time.

However, in Thomas's rush to stand up and try to shake the offered hand, he had knocked his bag down, but more importantly, flipped the small container with his pancakes in it, Radara catching them for him with ease making sure nothing was wasted. It was her own way of saying thanks to him, saving his meal as Thomas smiled and patted her gently behind the feline's ears. Rebecca on the hand, had to stifle a laugh from the scene, but got up none the less and smiled at Andrew, even if she still worked on her sandwich.

'It would appear Thomas that you're decision to return has been made for you.' Radara said softly, the same purring sound that made to show her approval now sounded clearly in his head, although she made sure to speak strictly to Thomas now. Sure she could easily show that she was powerful, but she still had just as many secrets to hide as Thomas did.

"I was called down to the beach when the sirens went off, something about a pack of raging gyarados. It's a good thing no one was really hurt, even if it did cancel the rest of today's activities. Apparently, someone knocked over the main terminal in the confusion however, meaning all the new poképhones and pokédexs up for grabs couldn't be activated and configured, so I was sent down there to get it working and make sure the rest of the prizes were handed out properly. Image my surprise to see you're name on the lists." He said as he took a seat on the bench them, letting Rebecca keep her seat next to Thomas when he sat back down. "So, what really happened down there, before you just… wandered away." Andrew smirked knowing that his son didn't like being in the limelight.

Thomas could only grin at his father's words, Andrew knew him so well already. "I wasn't up for joining in all honesty." He started as he leaned back, opening up his pancakes once more to enjoy them. "Rebecca was the one who wanted in on the 'fun', and who was I to argue. Just because me and Radara don't like large crowds doesn't mean we have punish the others." He started, savoring his first bite of real food, not just something basic for the first time in a few weeks, having been in the mountains and forests prior to returning to Rustboro City. "Things went rather well… at first. Then you can thank Radara for spotting the problem so far out in the ocean. From there, I told the nearest judge and things just kinda happened. With some team work, they were driven off." Thomas explained, hoping that Andrew would buy the short version.

Andrew just smirked. "That trainer that was the rescued. Claims he was teleported along with his lapras, right up the beach and just in time, saying that he was about to get hit." Andrew said as he got up and moved behind them, quickly moving over and grabbing Thomas's hiking pack, before scratching Radara right along the back of her neck, massaging her shoulders. "You really could compete with her in the league, a powerful little psychic warlord like this would win you several matches." Andrew joked as he looked to Thomas, speaking up once more before Thomas could object. "Yes, yes, I know. Its not your style to be a pokémon master and win the league. You just enjoy traveling, enjoying life as it comes. Why don't we go home for now. I know you've had a long day, you're definitely worn out from helping so much already."

Thomas just looked at him for a few, still nodding as he finished what little was left of his pancakes. "You came here just to find me didn't you. How'd you know I would be here?" Thomas asked as he got up, Radara and Rebecca joining him, both having finished their treats as well.

"You're so much like your biological father. I didn't know him as long I would like, but there are two places you could always find him when he needed to think or calm down. And with the beach being so crowded, that left the forest. Sure, its not a 'real' forest here, but its as close as you get in a city this size

without leaving the safety and comforts that come with it." Andrew smiled, Thomas knowing that he was right. He did indeed act a lot like father, far more then Andrew would ever likely come to truly know.

"Vivian is going to be working a bit late tonight, but I think that'll just let us surprise her when she gets back. She's not expecting you until tomorrow after all." Andrew added as he started for his truck, with Thomas and his pokémon following right along behind them. "So my boy, what all have you been up to? We haven't heard much of your travels lately. Are Juno and Saber doing well?"

"Yes, they are both doing very well." Thomas smiled as he walked with him, looking over the aging man, well into his fifties, but still so active, the same man he had always been, and Thomas hoped would always stay. "Juno's still the same old laid back ninetales she has always been, and Saber's still growing, quite a handful at times, but we all manage." Thomas said as he looked over the full sized work truck that Andrew favored over other more fancy vehicles, opening up the rear door to put Thomas's bag away, letting Rebecca get in with it as Thomas climbed into the other side with Radara jumping up to his lap.

"That's good. Surprised neither one of those two want to participate in the league either. Juno I suppose I can understand, but she still surprises me. When she sets her mind to something, I've never seen her back down, doing it her way, but I can't ever tell when she'll want to do something." Andrew stated as he got in himself and started the truck. "Saber of course, now he's an easy one to read and understand. He's just there for the action, the adventure. Of course, it still wouldn't hurt to understand either one of them. I'd just love to complete my project already and share it with the world. I know lucarios are one of the few who can talk, but it takes so long for them to form a proper bond with someone, they can't just talk with anyone. Still, could you image it? A world where humans and pokémon all understand each other? I just hope I live long enough to see it happen." He smiled, his words picking at Thomas. Thomas couldn't help but look him over now, thinking about so many things, about who had raised him this time.

This was the father that Thomas had known growing up, the one that had raised Thomas alongside his own wife, the two unable to have a child of their own for medical reasons. Although the man had been raised by both of his parents, Andrew had learned a lot more from his mother. She had instilled the man with great pride in his values, seeing pokémon not as tools just before trainers become truly common appearances, values that had been present when Thomas's father had chosen to get to know the Falstons. It was those same values that Andrew still held onto today, treating all of the pokémon on the Falston Estate with great care and respect, trusting in their judgement and instincts. He knew that pokémon were much smarter then the average person bothered to understand, and so he had set out to work on changing that view, working to develop ways to bridge that gap, his ultimate goal of one day actually being able to understand pokémon. He knew from the time that he was growing that pokémon, or at least some of them were very much aware of things, able to do more then merely understand human speech that let them follow commands in battle. He was always sure that pokémon, or at least some of them could understand the 'human' factor of things, despite not being a human.

It pained Thomas at times that he couldn't share more of the world with Andrew at times. Thomas knew things about the pokémon world that many others wouldn't know for a long long time if ever at all. Being what he was, he had seen so much to know as fact, not speculation, but solid fact that many pokémon were very intelligent, having their world, able to talk and share their mind, govern themselves, and even share emotion just like humans. Andrew had made sure to try and instill the same values in Thomas as he grew up, before his true identity had been awakened with him, and Thomas was proud to call himself the son of Andrew.

While Andrew and Vivian had very similar views on many things, they still had their differences, even in what kind of pokémon they preferred, and at times, their pokémon were also ready to fight with each. Still, the way that the two of them got along so well, and kept the entire estate along with seventeen various pokémon all under control and working together to keep the place tidy. They certainly had Thomas's respect, and in the end, it was the same respect that would soon come to make things so much worse. Thomas knew he would have to hurt them, and not in some small way, but possibly the worst way he could.

Thomas's thoughts were interrupted once more however when Radara's tail gently flicked his head to get his attention. "You okay there Thomas?" Andrew asked with a slightly concerned look. "You spaced out big time." He stated moving opening up the door, having stopped at local outdoor market place to get some more berries, the estate rarely ever without them as most of the pokémon present on the estate were herbivores.

"S-sorry." Thomas said in a quiet voice, knowing exactly what he had to do. "I…" He sighed lightly some before quickly putting on a fake smile. "I've just some things on my mind, you really don't have to worry."

"What kind of father would I be if I can't help my own son." Andrew smiled back. "You don't have to talk with me if you don't want you. You'll be turning eighteen soon enough, free to make all your decisions yourself. If you don't know what you really want to do with your life yet, you still have time, and I'm sure things will work out. They always have, haven't they? It's not like you have to leave just yet, you'll always be welcome back home."

Although Andrew didn't know, those words hurt Thomas greatly, but he kept himself together as he opened the door and let Radara get out, Rebecca joining them, a worried frown on her own face as he looked to Thomas and his aura. 'Are you sure you're okay Thomas?' Radara's voice chimed in his head.

"I'm fine…" Thomas stated quietly enough for both Rebecca and Radara to hear, Thomas seeing that she was worried about him, but making sure that Andrew didn't hear him. "Trust me, I'm fine."

Andrew was thankfully already walking into the market, Thomas moving to catch up as he moved beside him, looking around the stands, most filled with raw berries, or products filled with them, although there were a few other stands around. Andrew of course knew where he going, already getting out his pocket book and counting it up. "Can you give me a hand?" Andrew asked as he looked to Thomas and even Rebecca as he stopped in front of a stand.

"Sure." Thomas stated as Rebecca was quick to nod herself.

With their help recruited, Andrew turned the man in the booth, just as he finished with another lady. "Oh, well if it isn't Andrew. Usual bushel this week?" The man asked.

"Nope, we'll go with three, four if Rebecca thinks she can handle two of them." Andrew stated as looked to the shiny lucario. Rebecca smiled and nodded once more with a smile enjoying the extra challenge. "Four it is. Forty a bushel?"

"Thirty-five for you Andrew." The man smiled as he opened the gate to his stand and pointed out the bushels. "They're a bit heavy on the nanab and cheri, but they still got a large assortment." The man checked the four bushels just to be sure they were fresh before handing one to Andrew, another one to Thomas, and the last two to Rebecca. While she may have been short, she certainly had muscles, and the weight of the two bushels wasn't a problem as she helped carry them back to the truck.

"Thanks for the help. Anything else you want before we leave?" Andrew asked deciding to leave Thomas be for now, not asking any questions knowing himself that something was weighing on Thomas, and he didn't appear to want to talk about it. There was always later, and he felt strongly that if Thomas needed to, Thomas would talk with him about it.

Thomas merely shook his head. "Not today. I'm sure everything I want for now is at home." Thomas smiled. "A roof, warm bed, something more then standard travel meals. You know, the little comforts."

Andrew just grinned as he nodded himself. "Had enough of camping outside lately? You're not thinking of actually settling down now are you?" He joked.

"No, it's just nice to have a place to fall back on." Thomas said let Rebecca back into the truck, before getting in himself. "Someplace where everyone knows me and I have to worry about strangers trying to bug me for things."

"The usual trade offers for Rebecca?" Andrew asked as he started up the truck and got ready for the long ride back home, a near two hour drive to their estate after they got out of the city.

"Well, at least one person finally had a decent offer, but I turned it down as usual. Worked for Devon Corp actually, offered me two league level pokémon for her." Thomas explained. "Said he was the head of Human Relations."

"That must have been Asmound." Andrew nodded thinking about the man. "Good guy, very persuasive, bit on the showy side though. Rumors going through the place are he's trying to become the head chairman. He's also looking for as many shiny pokémon as he can get his hands on, usually makes decent trades for them too. His brother owns a ranch, they like to breed em out there. More shiny pokémon gathered up in spot then any other place in the Hoenn Region."

"That would explain why he wanted Rebecca, although I hardly think she would agree. Sure she has evolved already, but I don't think I've ever seen her show interest in anyone." Thomas said as he looked back, Rebecca lightly humming to herself as she looked through the bushel of berries next to her, trying to see if she could find a mago berry or two, Thomas just smiling at the sight of the eager lucario.

"Lucarios are very picky about their mates, or so I've heard. Common enough in the wild, but strong and fast enough that most remain in the wild. Of those that do get caught, so far many of them are male as well, and trying to watch them in the wild, never easy." Andrew stated as they drove along, some rain picking up.

"I won't argue that, the ones in the wild enjoy a certain sense of privacy." Thomas said as he looked out. Before their conversation could continue though, Andrew snapped his fingers in annoyance.

"Oh for the love of… I knew I was forgetting something. Thomas, could you check the glove box?" He asked as Thomas did him the favor, opening up the small compartment in front of him, only to look on in confusion at what was inside.

"Hey… some trainer was bugging me today about these." Thomas stated as he pulled out the three pokédexs out of the compartment, each of them all having a fancy label on them, BW-450, one of them red, the other two pink.

"Hmm?" Andrew asked. "Well, that's weird. What did they want?"

"They wanted me to get them one, followed me for a while too even before I tricked him into thinking someone was following him. Used the chance to walk off quietly." Thomas explained.

"There's always that one trainer who wants it first, I guess he thought you could help." Andrew said a bit annoyed. "But as long as everything turned out alright. Anyway, put them in my bag would you?" He said lifting the seat rest between them up to reveal a small bag. "I've got to hand those off to Hanna in programming. Their some of the prototypes, they work, but they didn't hold up to the winter weather tests. Hanna's been sick enough to not come in lately, but the boss wants them looked at if she has time." Andrew explained.

Thomas just nodded as he put them away, Andrew taking a quick detour to get to Hanna's house on the edge of the city. "I see." Thomas said as he put them in his bag as he closed the seat rest and leaned back. "How much of an improvement over the Hoenn models are they?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"You finally interested in updating?" Andrew laughed. "Personally, I favor that new one Johto came out, but these guys are no slouches. We expect to start producing the final product in quantity in two or three months, after we work out all the bugs. We got a few fully functional models, looking for trainers to give them a test run even. Maybe that's what that trainer was going on about, wanting in on that." Andrew said.

"Could be." Thomas replied as the rain started to really pick up. "Looks like today's games would have been canceled either way."

"Looks like it." Andrew nodded as he got an idea and grinned. "Ya know, I do have one of the BW-450 test models. I don't have use of it, but I'm sure I can arrange for you to have it, give it a nice test run."

"I really don't need it." Thomas stated.

"I think you might, the original Hoenn models are going out of style, and more importantly, they won't be up to date and handling all the new features to be released in the next Trainer Network update. To try and revive the use of pokédex's over this poképhone craze, they're incorporating a full video calling feature, near planet wide internet coverage, and plenty of other things. It's also a lot harder to hack the 450 over older models, coming installed with one of those porygon trainer assistant AI things. They aren't installed directly into the network either, meaning they aren't being tracked yet." Andrew explained, that last bit of information catching Thomas's eye. That was part of the reason he preferred the older Hoenn model after all, it could only be tracked when it was online, unlike some of the other newer models which could be hacked to reveal a trainer's location. "Normally we give them out the trainers we hire, but I'm sure being the son of the lead researchers, you'd be approved."

Thomas was quick to reconsider his options, he could use an updated model, but always put it off for that one feature. If this model wasn't tracked, then it could do him well, and he just use his poképhone when he didn't want others to see the new pokédex. "I guess I could use it." He said as Andrew smiled.

"We'll ask Hanna then, she's the one who has to approve their use and activate them." Andrew smirked as they approached the city once more, and Hanna's house, although the rain was definitely getting worse. Still, it didn't take long for them to finally see Hanna's house, the programmer apparently already having some kind of company since there were three cars in the drive. "Looks like she may have some family over. We'll try to make this a brief visit then." Andrew stated as he pulled up into the drive.

As they neared, Thomas could see more of the single story house, rather small for what he expected given that Hanna was supposed to be a lead Devon Corp programmer. "Small place." Thomas said.

"It's a company owned house. Hanna actually lives in Kanto with her mother. She had plans to move down here, but nothing set in stone." Andrew explained as the neared the garage, which was already open, and their lights could make out a few people inside, who appeared to be arguing. "Hmmm, what's going on here?" Andrew wondered as he saw the figures start to get physical, one of them pushing another to the side.

Andrew was quick to get out alongside Thomas, unsure of what was going on as Rebecca and Radara followed along, Radara creating a large barrier disc over them to keep them dry. "Hanna, you okay?" Andrew called out as he walked up, easily able to the make out the short woman that was Hanna.

Rather then get a response from the programmer however, someone else called back, walking up the greet them. "Get back in your truck and leave, this doesn't concern you." A male voice called out, Thomas quietly reached his hand behind his back, giving a small hand sign to Radara and Rebecca, the thumbs down telling them he didn't this and to stay on guard.

Radara was quick to act, only to hiss lightly as the man got closer. "I think this does concern me, Hanna works with me and I personally don't like the looks of you." Andrew stated rather firmly. "So, here's a better idea. You take your friend and leave before someone gets hurt." Although he may have not been a trainer, but a scientist, Andrew still knew his way well around a fight, with a great tactical mind and brains for battling.

"I said leave." The man who was walking up to them repeated, going for his belt and quickly grabbing a pokéball, throwing it up into the air, expecting a pokémon to come out. Radara acted first however, her mind sealing the pokéball shut and throwing it off to the side as she approached now. "Oh, so you want to fight, fine by me. Boris." The man called as they got closer, a flash of lighting showing the mark of Team Magma on their hats, Hanna crying out for help just before the second man punched the woman.

Andrew called out his own pokémon, a blaziken to his side as the two magma grunts went for more pokéballs, Radara only able to stop three of the six they threw out however, having to compete with a houndoom, a rhydon, and a mightyena.

Andrew was quick to move in, going for the grunt in front of him as he commanded his blaziken known as Blitz to move in as well, going after the closest opposing pokémon, the mightyena, Thomas already going to save Hanna, Radara and Rebecca on his tail. "Rebecca, deal with that houndoom, Radara, the rhydon is yours." Thomas called out as he jumped down to avoid a blow from the rhydon, who instead smashed one of the cars, seeing the glow of a fire attack behind him, knowing that Andrew had the mightyena and the first grunt under control.

In such tight and cramped conditions however, this was an up close brawl rather then usual showdown, and he knew his pokémon would have some advantages here, Radara already blasting the rhydon back, slamming into the side of the garage. Rebecca was having just as easy a time, not having to close the distance to get in for her own moves, a force palm landing right in the houndoom's face, his howl of pain easily noticed over the storm as it got worse.

The second magma grunt wasn't going down so easy, pulling out some kind of short metal baseball bat like object, but with a ridged club top. Thomas just growled in frustration, side stepping the overhead swing, twisting around to backhand the grunt. His attack didn't do much however, the grunt shrugging off the attack with barely a loss of a balance adjusting his next hard swing of the bat, the top sparking loudly showing off that it was more then just a club, but a stun device as well.

Thomas only smirked, knowing that the grunt was trying to fight him with his own unique powers, moving his hand to block the club at its base. While the shocking end of the tool wouldn't be much of a problem to him, the ridged club head itself would no doubt still hurt, and could break a bone or two if he wasn't careful.

Behind him, Radara had the fight pretty much under control all by herself, focusing on just the three pokémon, restricting their actions as she applied a massive blast of psychic energy to the rhydon's mind, it crying out in pain, stumbling around at her mercy. Of course her powers were limited against the other two pokémon, being dark types presented a powerful resistance to her abilities. Given her unique nature though, this was merely just a resistance, not the usual immunity dark types had over psychic types. It may have been enough for her to only slow them and keep them from using some of their attacks, but in this three on three fight, that was all she had to do.

Rebecca was really going at it with her own opponent, the houndoom unable to use any of its stronger attacks, only its physical ones for some reason which confused it, forced to react sluggishly thanks to Radara's restrictions over it. This made it a short fight as Rebecca avoided all of its attempts to hurt her, landing another force palm on its side, sending it flying into the already smash up car, it passing out with a loud whimper when she turned to look if Andrew needed help. Blitz was keeping the mightyena restrained in a powerful chokehold as Andrew letting his boxing side show, once more hitting the grunt he was fighting in the stomach, the grunts jaw already a bit bloody from the fight.

With everyone else under control, Rebecca turned to look for Thomas, only to gasp out. Thomas was unable to avoid the next swing that the grunt threw at him, the club head catching him hard in the side, only to be pulled back. The grunt quickly went to thrust the head of it into Thomas's chest as he held his side, only for him to grab the club by the tip in his palm. The grunt laughed at first, hitting the switch and activating the stun function of the tool, only to look on in confusion.

"Sorry pal, electricity doesn't work here." Thomas grunted in pain from the prior blow, using his free hand to quickly sock the grunt in the jaw and pulled the baton free of the grunt's grip while he was at it. "Let's see how powerful this is." He stated flipping it around in his hand, and firing the device, sparks coming off the tip before he planted it in the grunts chest, the man locking up for a few shaking some, before falling back.

'Thomas…' Rebecca cried out running to him, neither one of them noticing the small item that had fallen from the grunt's hand, only for the small cylinder to blow up, filling the opened garage with a nasty mix of pepper gas, stun spore particles, and hints of sleeping gas, a deadly triple mix threat. The blast quickly filled the entire garage with the gas, Rebecca unable to see as she coughed out, Radara immediately teleporting Thomas out into the yard and rain, already on his knees struggling a bit for fresh air as he held his throat, coughing fiercely.

Seeing him coughing so hard, Andrew called out to him, only to quit holding back on the grunt, grabbing his collar and slamming his head down to greet his rising knee. Rebecca on the other hand was in a rush to get to his side, helping him turn over and onto his back whining loudly. 'Thomas… Thomas… are you okay, speak to me… what's wrong… what did they do to you… what was in that gas?!' She screamed to him and anyone else who could listen, Andrew only getting parts of it as he threw the grunt to the ground, all of the Team Magma pokémon dealt with.

Radara made her way to Thomas's side as well, helping him by controlling his breathing now, the water washing away the worst of the gas that stuck to his skin, none of them noticing Hanna rushing out the front door, having gotten away from the fight in the confusion. "Andrew… Andrew what happened? Are you all okay?" The woman called out as she ran over to Andrew, who was at the moment more concerned about his son, running over after making sure the grunts were knocked out.

"Radara, is he okay?" Andrew quickly asked as Radara stood beside him, inspecting him, before nodding and then looking to Hanna.

"I'm so sorry for all of this." Hanna panted as the first sirens sounded, a pair of police cars rushing up to the house. The rest was a blur for Thomas however, as parts of the sleeping gas began to take hold, Radara helping to keep him conscious as best as she could.

Hanna was sure to keep the police on track, letting them know that the Falstons had saved her by taking down the two grunts as Andrew tended to his son.

~xXx~

Thomas first thoughts as he regained full consciousness were of the bright lights, and something wrapped over his face. He coughed a few more times, before moving to his hands to his face, feeling the oxygen mask there. He quickly sat up, taking the mask off as he drew a few deep breaths.

"Careful, take it easy." A deep voice stated as he looked around, a doctor right there standing next to him. "That was a nasty gas bomb you got hit by. Team Magma seems to enjoy using them lately. As if the pepper content wasn't enough, they add it to a mixture of sleeping gas and stun spore just to make sure that at least something gets through. You're very lucky that you survived, that stuff wreaks enough havoc on pokémon."

Thomas just ignored his words, looking around seeing Radara there in the corner, the espeon nodding lightly. 'He is under my influence. Our secret is safe. Show him that you can breath on your own and he's ready to let us walk out and go home.' Radara's voice sounded in his head as he nodded himself.

He leaned back just a bit more, back against the bed he was on as he took a few simple breaths, letting the doctor give him a quick and simple exam, merely making sure he was breathing by himself now, before he was done and walked out. Andrew took the doctor's place as the man left though, finally given the okay that Thomas should be fine.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again." Andrew said as soon as he walked in with a weak smile. "Its one thing to help me out in a fight, but you don't have to take a bomb to the face to try and impress anyone." He joked weakly.

"Not… my… idea…" Thomas said softly as he looked up continuing to take slow deep breaths.

"The doctor is filling out a few things. Once he's done, he says we can leave." Andrew smiled before looking at his wristwatch. "Vivian showed up while you were out of it. She should be home by now though, wanted to make you something for doing such a good job saving Hanna, and helping out with the beach."

"How… long… was I… out?" Thomas asked still going slow with his words, not wanting to over exert himself just yet until he was breathing normally once more, his breaths slowly getting larger and more steady as he took his time.

"Just shy of an hour." Andrew explained. "They put some strong concentrated sleeping gas in that thing. You're lucky that Radara teleported you so fast, you only got a minor dose. That grunt who dropped it, he had to go into surgery. How's your side?"

"Sore." Thomas responded as he looked down to his side where he had been hit, a large bruise there, but nothing really serious. Thomas just pulled back the bandages a bit before letting them return to their spot as he slowly turned and got up.

Andrew kept his seat, but made sure to keep a real eye on him as Thomas stood, leaning on the bed lightly as he steadied himself as Thomas finally started to breath normally once more. "So much for an easy day." He sighed as he turned, the doctor coming back in.

"Already walking are you?" The doctor asked, Radara's influence still over him, using her tail to hide the slight glow in the gem on her head. "Well, if you're entirely sure, I can't really see a reason to keep you here other then observation. If you get light headed, lungs start to hurt, anything though, you need to come back." The doctor stated as he handed the paper work to Andrew, who signed a few things. "You're good to go now, just take it easy."

Andrew nodded and smiled. "I'll be sure he will, thanks for all the help." He said as he handed Thomas his shirt and coat, along with two of his pokéballs. "Juno and Saber are back at the estate, Vivian took them there to let them relax. Radara got a little… persuasive when I tried to recall her and also refused to let me hand off Rebecca's pokéball. Let me tell you, your lucario is worried about you."

Thomas could only smile. "Radara hates being inside pokéballs, so I just let her travel at my side. She enjoys it… most of the time." Thomas said as he put his shirt back on, as well as his shoes before putting his two pokéballs on his belt. With that done, he nodded for Radara to get up and join him, walking out at his side as they walked out of the room to leave the hospital, Andrew signing him out since he was still a minor, even if just for one more day. As they were leaving though, Rebecca's pokéball started shaking rather hard.

"That's the fourth time this past hour since we arrived that she wanted out." Andrew explained as he heard it, the pokéball shaking the clip that hard on Thomas's belt.

'Thomas, you will need to have a long talk with her, and I will not take no for an answer.' Radara's voice entered his head earning a very confused look from him as he looked down to her. 'She is very worried about you, considerably more then you seem to realize and more importantly, more then you seem to want to accept.'

As they walked out the door into the parking lot, Thomas's curiosity got the better of him as he decided to release Rebecca as Radara shielded them from the rain. In the usual burst of white light, the shiny lucario was standing before then, but only long enough to be released. As soon as she was free of the device, she was instantly on Thomas's side, hugging him tightly. 'Thomas, why do you keep locking me away!'

Both Thomas and Andrew were left speechless at the action, and while Thomas could understand every word, Andrew was left only to hear small bits and pieces. "Rebecca… what are you doing?" Thomas asked coughing a bit more from her sudden actions.

'Why do you keep trying to impress everyone, always running into danger, never letting me protect you.' Rebecca cried out as she held him close.

"Did… did I perhaps miss something?" Andrew asked as Radara moved to his side, catching small echoes of what Rebecca had said.

Radara gives Andrew a small nudge, starting to walk away Andrew getting the hint as he sighs a bit. "We'll give you a minute to calm her down okay, Thomas? Just remember what they say about that bond lucarios have, son. It works both ways."

Thomas is still rather clueless, the look very present on his face as Rebecca held her vice like grip on him, a lot harder then what Thomas was use to from her. He tries to get out of it, gently at first, only to realize that she is entirely refusing to let go however. "Rebecca, I'm still in pain. I would rather not have to get re-administered again okay?" He stated as he feels her chest spike start to dig into his chest knowing full well enough that it could pierce his skin, and soon if she kept up her grip.

She quickly sees the pain in his aura though once he speaks up, along side the worry as she realizes her spike is nearly ready to pierce his chest. In a rush, she lets go rather embarrassed that she had nearly put him back in the hospital after he literally just got out. 'I am so sorry Thomas, I didn't mean to do that… I am so sorry.' She whines rather pitifully, her ears wilting back in shame. Some other patients just leaving as well and some coming in looking over at him, a few giving him an angry glare for making his lucario whine like she was, not knowing the full story.

"It's okay, just don't try to crush me." Thomas said as he looks around seeing Andrew and Radara both watching. Andrew seems to be enjoying himself, watching Thomas on the spot as Radara is just shaking her head at how its going already, always seeming to judge him at everything so soon. He grabs Rebecca's paw though and moves to the side of the building to a small fully enclosed gazebo where they were away from the eyes of other patients and trainers looking at them. As he stops, the rain muffled on the high roof, he can hear Rebecca still whimpering a bit. Now Thomas really feels bad as he looks to his pokémon.

He stands before her thinking about Rebecca, about how she battles. She usually takes on most pokémon without really a breaking a sweat, not quite a league level pokémon, but close. She could pace herself with ease, letting her easily outmatch several pokémon, her battle prowess unmatched by all of the pokémon he had encountered on this journey so far aside from Radara and Juno, but they weren't even normal to begin. Even when she took a hit, she had never let it show, but now standing before him, he could see that she had actually been crying, a first for him to ever see from her.

Slowly, things began to make sense as he realized what all her aura bond with him meant. She felt his emotions, and now he could actually feel part of hers, much in the same way he had a unique link with Radara. Rather then being a powerful mental link however, this one was different, more personal, almost spiritual in a way. Rebecca could always feel his emotions, and it was no small wonder she was always willing to please me, willing to fight for him. She could feel those emotions he always kept locked away, his anger, his sorrow, but most importantly, his solitude.

Although those feelings were never directed at her, she knew that something was bothering him and she always did her best to make him happy. Thomas thinks about everything she has done to make him smile, or give her a compliment, make him feel proud that she was at his side. He had always hoped to keep that part of him private, away from others, but there was no question now that she knew. His thoughts took an unfortunate turn for things though, following the path he had forced himself to follow for so long, the same path his father had followed, and his father's father going back five full generations of what he was. He wondered if he should leave her behind now, for her own sake more then his own. He didn't want to force her to endure the harsh choices he had chosen to follow, and the many more that he knew would come up as well. He began to wonder if he should leave her with the Falston's, with a considerable chance at a much better life then he could provide for her now.

Those feelings were easily read in his aura however as she spoke up rather loudly, her normally gentle voice now cracked and uneven. 'Please, what have I done for you to feel that way Thomas?' She whines. 'Was it because I hugged you too tightly, I didn't mean to. I just worry about you. You have always been so nice and always care about me more then yourself. I know I am just a pokémon, an animal in the eyes of others. I do know what it means to care for others though. What feelings towards others mean… please don't leave me Thomas… I … I…' She does her best to stop the tears in her eyes, but not really knowing what to say or how. To say what she truly wanted, what she had wanted since she evolved, but never really knew about until today.

When Thomas first adopted her in a sense, she was scared of him, the first human she had ever met, but he took care of her on that day so long ago, and learned to love him, but as a friend. Yet, when she evolved into a lucario, things had changed. She felt something stir within her. At first, she just hated when other females tried to impress Thomas, even a few trying to throw themselves at him thinking he would fall head over heels for them for them, and yet he always ignored them. His only care was for his pokémon, Radara, Juno, Saber, and herself. Rebecca always looked towards Juno and Radara as mothers who gave advice she would always ask for, like what it meant to know what love is. Was it the same thing like it was for humans.

Of course the two of them always had different views on things. Juno would laugh saying no. Pokémon express love different because they would not fall in love the same way humans did. Juno would always drift with her answers, mostly because Radara and Juno always had different opinions on things, even including on how Rebecca would learn. The only thing that the two ever really agreed upon however was that if she felt she loved someone, she should tell that someone, hiding it only made it worse, one of Radara's phrases popping into her head once more. 'Better to have loved then never loved at all.'

With her mind now set after those words once again pop into her head, she knew what she has to say to him. Even now she could see his confusion and despair that he has, that he tries his best to hide from her. 'Thomas please… I don't know what path you want to take in life, I have never questioned anything you have done before. I do love to battle and show off the power within me, yet you seem to try and hide me from the world. As if I am something that needs protection. So many times you've recalled me from battle as if I could not fight for you.' Thomas is about say something, but she stops before he could interrupt.

'No, please let me finish. For a long time I have… I have thought about many things while floating around inside that pokéball. I can still feel your emotions that you try to hide behind that fake smile you show at times. I am not a tiny riolu anymore, all the care and love you showed me helped me evolve, and I can care for myself now. When I evolved into what I am now, it wasn't just my power and my body that changed, something else changed too. They have grown into something else I was afraid you might reject. Other times I have seen your compassion toward other pokémon. I know you do not hold the same feelings other humans do about many pokémon, that we are not creatures or mindless beasts. You see more than that… I am afraid to ask you… I have have battled many mons over the months, even those who could really hurt me. Yet what I'm fear most is you… asking you…' Rebecca once again goes silent now, unable to finish her words as does her best to keep quiet, the rain the only noise around them.

That silence is perfect for Thomas however, as her words slowly start to make sense at first, but they quickly add up as memories of distant past life wake up, seeing Rebecca so vulnerable as she is causes the images of another lucario to flash into his mind, although not shiny like the one standing before him. It was this lucario, a lucario in ancient times that Rebecca had been named after.

Awarded a proper name as a sign of respect and honor in that age so long ago, Rae Beck Ann, the pokémon in the old kingdoms to be named a squire had the same problem with Thomas's ancestor so long ago. With the images and detailed memories of the long forgotten past love present in his mind though and no longer pushed back, Rebecca's words all made sense to him now, their weight finally kicking him. More images fill him mind, images and thoughts that he had always pushed away, thoughts of him actually being with someone once more after so long, sharing a life together, relying on each other in a different way then he relied on Radara to assist him.

With the images of all the good that love had brought him in the past, a nearly forgotten act, the cost that came with love also came forth, of how he would always end up going on without them, of how he had lost some of the love of his past lives, of how brutally his last love had been taken from him.

The thoughts were already there however, of how he wanted to share his life someone, of how wanted someone to bring him the peace and comfort of knowing that he wouldn't have to hide everything from everyone, that there was always someone he could share what he was with, but was it worth the price. He would have to leave his home soon, always stay on the move, and not only because he would stop aging, but because he was hunted, and what he had to do aside from that. Was it worth it to bring her along, to confide in her, to put her in harms way. He had seen plagues, faced wars, seen nations rise and fall over the course of time, the memories of past lives always there if he needed, and sometimes, too often these days it seemed. Her words now though, were the greatest torture he could recall however.

With his mind so distracted, he failed to notice that Rebecca had once again moved closer, taking his hand and placing it on her chest, Thomas able to feel her heart beat with his. He could feel her bond to him, feeling her trying to match her aura with his own, easily able to do so with how much she wanted him, and deep down, he wanted her as well.

He knew what she wanted more then ever now, what she wanted most of all, what he found himself having put off for much too long, his stubborn ways and those passed down from his father still arguing against it, wanting him to leave her like they had done. Would she follow him though, would she accept the truth of what he was, the truth he had hidden from everyone except Radara and Juno, who had traveled with him for generations.

With their newly found bound, Rebecca was quick to nod, not knowing what he meant in his mind, but she knew that she would stay with him, no matter what he was. For the first time in so very long, he couldn't turn this one down, he couldn't say no, giving a weak smiled.

"Yes… yes Rebecca." He says softly moving a hand up to caress her face, having shunned love, real love between mates for so long, he was lost as to how this would happen, but he wanted it, and it was about time that he gave it a chance. "I… do love you…" He said praying so desperately that his purpose in life would not bring her harm, that he could her just as safe as those he had been tasked to protect since birth.

At his words, she quickly leaned up on her toes as best she could, pulling his head down, their lips catching in an awkward kiss being such different creatures. She didn't care, and neither did he now that he had said it, pulling her as close as he could without digging her chest spike into his chest.

-X-

Andrew looked down to Radara as the minutes ticked by, getting a bit worried not seeing Thomas, still concerned with his health. He had already tried to move once to follow along, but Radara had stopped with, her tail surprisingly strong, no doubt helped by the power of her mind, and he had agreed to give them a few more minutes.

Still, he was getting worried as he looked down to her. "Are you absolutely sure they are okay?" He asked as the espeon nodded, still protecting them from the rain beside his truck. He looked down to the espeon, still unsure himself, only to see her point with her tail.

Thomas and Rebecca were coming back around the building, this time holding hands, Rebecca smiling as she leaned into him. Thomas on the other hand, was unsure of things, knowing what he wanted, but unable to tell if it was a good idea. Although he couldn't sure he was doing the truly right thing, he knew he had what he wanted for him, even if the doubt of the future was still there.

As they came back however, Andrew gave them a rather unusual look about how close they appeared. "Is something wrong?" He asked also paying attention to the look of worry on Thomas's face. Radara could only smile, the task she had set out to correct was finally done, at the very least he was willing to try loving someone else after so long.

"Andrew… father…" Thomas said softly. "You once said… you didn't care what I did… as long as it felt right." He started knowing that he couldn't hide this from Andrew, he was far too observant, always looking for the little details, those things that told the real story.

Andrew merely studied them for a few more, before smiling. "Well, that starts to explain a lot." He said with a smile. "I've always dreamed of talking with pokémon, something that you just kind of did, or at least understood far better then anyone else I know." He said walking up to them looking them both over. "If you really think that this is what you really want, that you two can make this work, I won't stop you. I trust your judgement, I know you'll do what you feel is right. I've never been the best father spending so much time working, but I'm sure that I've taught you the difference between right and wrong. Whatever you need to do, I can trust that it was done for the right reasons, even if I may not understand it all the time."

Thomas smiled a fair bit now, at least glad that Andrew was so accepting of him and his judgement, even now when it was obvious that he wasn't in love with another human, but the pokémon at his side. His words brought other ideas forth as well though, but those thoughts could wait as Radara walked up to him with a large smile on her face as well, before turning for the truck, opening the doors for all of them.

"Come on, let's go home. I'm sure we can all use the rest and time to settle down. Just… try not to share this with your mother. I know she values pokémon, but she doesn't quite see them as good lovers. She had a friend once who shared that kind of thing with her, telling her the truth. She hasn't spoken to them in five years and I heard it was not a pleasant departure." He explained. "If you want though, I can tell Vivian that the doctor said you need lots of rest, give you two some time alone in your room."

Thomas smiled and nodded. "I would like that a lot." He said as he looked to Rebecca. "Is that okay with you?" He asked Rebecca, who quickly nodded leaning into him even more. "Just remember, we can't tell Vivian then. I… I don't want to upset her anymore then she already is." Rebecca's ears dropped a little bit, but she nodded, unfortunately knowing that most humans would not look kindly on them for their decision.


	3. Chapter 3

Watcher of Arceus

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. Only the idea and OC's.

Author Notes:

-X-This will be used for scene breaks and for when the story switches to another character, but it does not mean that a new section of the story has started.

~xXx~ This will identify where each paragraph breaks.

"Human Speech" '_Character Thought_' {Pokémon Speech}

Co-author: Catsithx Beta-Reader: Ravyn Arcadia

Rating: PG/14 Warnings: Mild Violence / Strong Language

Both Rating and Warnings will change with each chapter as needed for that select chapter.

The following is a total and complete Reboot of the story "Watcher of Arceus".

~xXx~

Chapter 3 :

Thomas woke up slowly in his bed. It was quite a change for him, sleeping in an actual proper bed he could call his own. With more then enough room to adjust himself and get as comfortable as he liked, and even have access to extra pillows and blankets if he so desired.

Having spent the past seven months on the road, either laying out under the stars or in some cave in his sleeping bag, or resting in the bunks of a pokémon center or cheap beds of a basic hotel, having a proper bed to sleep on certainly helped for a good night's rest. Of course, the fact that he had his lucario Rebecca curled up beside him certainly helped him as well.

Not wanting to disturb her, he merely laid there. Gently pulling her closer to his chest and just holding onto her as he looked around his room. Today, the day before he turned eighteen held special meaning to Thomas, and not just because had accepted Rebecca as his mate. He closed his eyes once more, knowing full well what he would see as bits and pieces of memories came to mind, replaying a small tale for him in his head. The memories both his own and his fathers, showing how he came to refer to the Falston Estate as home.

-X-

When his father had made arrangements for Andrew and Vivian to adopt the boy that had grown up to be Thomas, the Falstons were still just living in a basic residence, the usual two bedroom apartment, of course the second bedroom was actually their makeshift office at the time.

That was when Thomas's father, calling himself William at the time, had decided that he wanted to get to know the Falstons, knowing that his own time was coming to a close, and that his son would soon be there to take his place.

He had spent a month getting to know the Falstons, before they invited him to stay with them, since he didn't have a place of his own. From there, he had spent the next few months getting to know them better. Making great friends with the two of them, helping to pay their bills and keep the place clean, and making sure that he had made a good choice to raise his son since he knew he never could.

Then, one day, William had just vanished for a month, leaving Andrew and Vivian worried about him, but knowing that he could back. He had left his ninetales with them after all. After nearly a month since he vanished, William had returned with his espeon and something new at his side. An infant, the child that would grow up to be Thomas.

With a bit of influence from Radara, William's story easily passed that he had at one time, had a steady girl friend who he had wished to marry, only to find out certain things about her, and so he had left her. He had claimed that the month that he had vanished, he had discovered that the woman he had been with had given birth to a child, which she readily claimed was his and thus word had come back to him. Claiming that he had wanted to be a part of his child's life, he set out to return to the woman and try to give her a second chance, if she had cleaned herself up.

He went on to explain with Radara's help that the woman had actually gotten worse, not caring for their son, and so he took the only action he could think of at the time, taking his son with him and returning back to them. He still had some cash left over from his own journey, but not that much. He had told them of his plans to settle down, and find a job now. Perhaps he could even start his own gym in the city.

Despite what had happened, they had agreed to help him. Easily buying the story that he had told them and letting him stay with them until he could get on his feet since he always seemed to work so hard around them. Of course, they never knew the truth about what William really was, nor what his son would grow up to be.

A week after William had returned with his son, William just didn't wake up one morning. An autopsy couldn't figure out what had happened when they examined the body, with only guesses as to what happened, the largest theory being that the stress of all that was going on had taken its toll. This however left an infant child behind with no father, and no mother to come running back to get him.

A problem in the form of an old injury had left Vivian with a near impossible chance of having children of her own, and so when William had passed on, the two of them could only see Thomas as a blessing for them. Several problems arose, some from the government trying to identify the mother and return him to her care and trying to identify the child, all the way to problems in the household. Although not a common visitor, Andrew's father Eric did make regular visits, and never trusted or even attempted to like William, or in turn, the child.

It took lots of work, but at last, with some major favors and influence originated from Devon Corp, the Falstons won their battle, and became the official guardians of the child William had left behind. Additionally, they adopted the two pokémon that William had left behind as well, both refusing to leave the infant's side.

From there, they had given Thomas his name since William couldn't decide on one, and never said anything about the mother giving him either. For five more years, Thomas grew up in that small apartment with Andrew and Vivian, who couldn't be more proud of their son, William's espeon and ninetales appearing to be great with the child as well, caring for him alongside the two of them. In that time, Eric Falston still made no attempts to get to know the child. Seeming to always be angry at the boy, but never showing those feelings when Andrew or Vivian were around.

It was around that time, when Thomas was nearly six that Andrew's and Vivian's research at Devon Corp hit a double break through, and both them would end up needing private labs, if only small ones to continue their work at their leisure. That was what lead to the construction of the Falston Estate, paid for by Devon Corp with a few strings attached, like a conference room that was readily available to the Devon Corp higher ups, as well as a few other things on the Falston's part.

Six months after that, Thomas was given the room he was in now. For a child, the room alone was nearly the size of half the apartment that he had been in before, so much room and new things for him to explore, both Radara and Juno extremely shocked with the new home, but still caring for Thomas like they always had.

Things didn't stop there either as the Falstons continued to take great care of Thomas, working hard to turn him into a good boy. The household continued to grow, as Thomas found himself under the care of the staff who maintained the large mansion.

When he had at last turned nine, and went through his first right of passage, the Day of Awakening, Thomas seemed to change, but only in small ways, suddenly deciding that he wanted to become a pokémon trainer, like what they had told of him of his biological father, that he wanted to see the world.

-X-

Thomas opened his eyes as the memories of how the Falston's had come to live in the estate vanished from his head. He knew that these memories would surface, and so would many more. It was a part of what his kind were. Far from human, only looking the part, Thomas was a Watcher, just like his father, and all the way down his blood line straight to Arceus herself. One of the chosen, a special breed of creature, the Watchers were unique in nature, immortal creatures who lived on by passing their skills and memories, their feelings and aura, their very way of life from parent to child, living a preset life span before they would reincarnate.

Today, on the day before his eighteenth birthday, and over the next two days as well, Thomas would be going through his second right of passage. The first right of passage for his kind had taken place when he was a mere child, having just turned nine years of age. That was Day of Awakening, when Thomas would explore the question of "who", and learn about who he truly was as his powers began to wake up and the changes to his body began. For this next right of passage, the Day of Remembrance as his kind had called it, a new question was presented. Now that he was older, and aware of what he was and what was hidden within his past, a new question had presented itself. The question of "how."

Thomas sat up, the memories still so fresh in his head, although small and incomplete, but their story was solid and explained the how of things. How had Thomas come to be brought up the Falston's, how had Thomas come to call this place home, and how Thomas had been raised with the values he had. The reasons behind all of the choices weren't clear, and Thomas knew that would not be the case of things. Today was not about the why of things after all.

He looked around his familiar room, more pieces of memories showing up as he looked it over, and what all it held. His very large bed on one wall with a few smaller pokémon beds for his companions in the corners. A small dining and kitchenette like section on the far wall, and other odds and ends taking up the rest of the walls leaving the central part of the floor open.

The Falston's had treated him quite well, sparing no expense when he returned home, always making sure he was well fed and healthy when he stopped by. They always cared for him, even if it took a bit of work to convince them that he was ready for a journey when he come of age for it. Of course, he had a great edge over many other starting trainers, both in the form of the pokémon his father left him, Radara and Juno, and having the memories of his ancestors. He knew how to survive off the land with ease and without any of the modern conveniences that science had come to produce just for trainers in the past forty some years.

He held his head lightly as he recalled so much, the pain of so much information coming back at once a bit rough, but nothing that Thomas wasn't use to. It readily passed as his mind cleared, the memories in his head growing quite clear as though he had just watched bits and pieces of a movie, knowing what they lead up to, even if he didn't know every detail.

The movement on his bed caught his attention as he looked down with a smile. Rebecca slowly looking up at him with her own smile. He still had his doubts about making the right choice, but Radara had made it very clear to him last night after Rebecca had passed out about her views on the matter.

The espeon had gone into a rather vivid explanation of what she would do to him if he broke her heart. Refusing to let him turn down another potential lover and turn into the same miserable man his father had become, no matter how well William tried to hide that fact. Radara could tell deep down that Thomas had grown to approve of her so much over the years since he had started to care for her, and even love her in his own ways, but refusing to let it blossom into something more.

Despite his want of someone to share his life with, he knew that deep down things could easily turn bad, so many things could go wrong. He just prayed that the tasks left to what he was wouldn't bring her harm. Of course, he still had to explain to her just what he was now, he could no longer hide that truth from her if she was to be his mate.

'_Morning_.' She smiled as she looked up to him giving her usual yawn and stretching some as she sat up and leaned into him. She had promised to take it slow with him when they got home last night, willing to work to make this happen, his aura showing her that he did want her like she wanted him, even if there was doubt within him.

Feeling her lean into him some, it brought a rare comfort to Thomas as he wrapped his arm around her. More memories of past lives surfacing among those he knew and those he remembered today. Presenting him with more doubt, but at the same time, hope that he could make this work. "Rebecca…" Thomas stated soft looking at her. "I… I have something I need to explain to you." He said as he looked around, Juno and Radara still sleeping, Saber, like always, not present as the early bird of the bunch.

Rebecca gives him an odd look, wondering what he means as she sees his aura struggling with something, showing off lots of worry. '_Whatever it is Thomas, I can handle it. Please, don't hide anything from me anymore. I can help you…_' She says wrapping her arms around him careful not to dig her chest spike into him. '_I am your mate now, right?_'

Thomas smiles some and nods lightly. "That's right… I don't need to hide things from you anymore." He said as he wondered how to tell her the truth, but unable to find the words. After a minute of struggling, she gives a small worried whine, and so he just acts quickly opening his eyes and looking to kitchenette, his eyes giving off a subtle, but definitive pinkish glow.

Rebecca gasps a bit at his eyes, feeling some power about him, looking to the kitchenette herself now, watching a small case of freshly stocked poffins start to float over to them, surrounded by a glow similar to that in Thomas's eyes. '_Thomas… you… you're…_' Rebecca stuttered looking at him.

"I'm… not human." Thomas stated as the glass poffin case floated up in front of them, only for there to come a loud knock on the door. Thomas lost his concentration from the sudden noise and the poffin case started to fall to the floor. Thomas jumped forward and off the edge of the bed with a loud crash as he caught the case.

The door quickly opening up to reveal Andrew standing there looking on at the usual sight of Thomas on the floor, blankets wrapped around his feet still and hanging off the bed. "Thomas, what are you doing? Are you alright?" He asked very worried as he looked at Thomas, holding his side once more setting the poffin case down beside him.

"I'm fine." Thomas stated as he slowly sat up looking to Andrew, both Juno and Radara looking at him as well, Rebecca once more at his side, giving a small whine. "We'll talk later okay, when we don't have to worry about anyone catching on." He told her while hugging her back as she helped him up.

Rebecca smiled as she helped him up, even if her curiosity had been peaked and she really wondered what he meant that he wasn't human. He looked to her and pulled her a bit closer as he looked to Andrew, giving him a small nod asking for a minute or two. Andrew of course just smiled and nodded stepping outside the door.

"Look, Rebecca. I'll explain everything when we have time. What I am has nothing to do with how I feel about you okay?" He smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I just didn't… didn't want you be scared of me and all the things I can do." He explained. "I promise, when we have time today, we can go down the beach, or walk through the gardens, wherever you like and I'll tell you about what I am okay? We just can't let Vivian know the truth about us. When we leave home next time… we're not coming back… and I want her to remember the child she loved." He said as he sighed once more with that truth hanging over him.

She gave a small worried whine, but nodded seeing in his aura that he was telling the truth when a new voice entered their head. '_Do not worry about her Thomas._' Radara's voice sounded in their heads as he looked over to his feline, the psychic cat stretching as she got off her bed. '_I can answer and explain the general idea of things to her while you make the most of your time here. Today they will be unlikely to hold up much of your time, as your birthday party is tomorrow. I suggest you manage your time wisely today as it is never good to let awakened memories linger and build._' She explained as she walked up to them looking to Rebecca, her tail on the shiny lucario's shoulder. '_You have my word, if they do not give him time for you, I will make time for him. You are the best thing to happen to my… partner in many many years. I will not let him sabotage this feeling like his father had done.'_ She smiled giving a very dark look at Thomas.

Thomas quickly his hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm doing exactly what you said, I'm giving this a chance. I want it to, even knowing what that means." He stated as he got up. "Look, watch over her for me, and if she asks, go ahead and tell her. You'll probably be better at it then me right now." He stated as he moved to get dressed in something cleaner and more appropriate before walking out of the room.

Stepping out of his room was like stepping into another house, his personal room having very few things in the way of decoration, only what he needed for when he was home. The hallway however, was lined with portraits or statuettes of a pokémon every dozen feet or so, with plenty of plants around as well.

Thomas had seen them enough times. Walking through the manner on this day of all days, he knew what they were just passing by them. The Falstons rarely ever changed their décor aside from a few select rooms.

He continued to walk through the halls though, hearing voices down the hall, recognizing them both, one being Andrew's, the other also being male, but much higher, belonging to the head butler that was employed to keep the large estate property clean and presentable. "Why, master Thomas. I'm glad to see you are well." Derek stated, dressed in his usual attire. A formal black jacket over a white dress shirt with matching black pants and shoes. Derek certainly looked and filled the typical look and role of the fancy butler.

"How many times do I have to say its just Thomas. 'Master' doesn't suit me." Thomas said with a small smile as he looked at Derek.

"You will always be Master Thomas while here. I look forward to continuing my job under your name when it comes time for you to take the role of head of the household." Derek smiled before he bowed and moved out leaving Thomas and Andrew alone.

"I really hope he never changes." Andrew smiled as he looked at Thomas. "The rest of the staff have the day off, as well as tomorrow to give you room for your party. Despite that, they still got together and bought you a gift. In their eyes you're still the same quiet trouble free child that grew up before leaving for your journey." Andrew said as he started to walk down another one of the halls, to the main entryway. Hearing his words however didn't bring Thomas much joy, but rather a hard reminder of some of the things he was giving up. He had hoped in some ways that his lack of time spent at home would make things easier and distance himself from his parents and the staff at the mansion who had helped care for Thomas. He had always hoped they would remember him none the less. But hearing things now? He sighed. It seemed that they remembered him a bit too much and would be highly unlikely to just accept his leave.

Still, he played along with things. Trying not to draw much attention to himself and his problems right now. As Thomas followed along however, he was quick to see a brand new statue resting in the center of the room, even visible from the second story balcony over looking the entrance way. "That's new." He stated walking up the railing and looking down on the giant gold and silver statue of Mew.

"Devon Corp had it put in to show off for some clients that are coming over from Battle Corp who have expressed interest in Vivian's work. As it was her personal efforts that sparked their interest, they want to see her lab and work, which means coming here." Andrew explained as he looked over the statue himself.

"The CEO Brakins and Director Kent will be joining the meeting with her as well on Thursday next week. I just hope that she is up for the meeting, with that Wednesday being the P.A.R.C.A. Donation Drive, which we have graciously decided to host this year." Andrew explained. "Speaking of P.A.R.C.A., I still can't believe they've grown so large, if this keeps up they might actually be able to take care of all the abusive trainers, breeders, and coordinators in just a few years within Japan. You may really want to join. I keep hearing small rumors about all that's been done out there. I just know you're responsible for some of the stories." Andrew said as walked down and picked up one of the stray pamphlet for the Pokémon Abuse Rescue and Care Awareness, also known as P.A.R.C.A. for short.

Flipping open the pamphlet, he looked inside, one picture, the current head of P.A.R.C.A. easily stood out to Thomas. Looking at the current leader Luna Sailtu, he couldn't help but see how much she looked like her great-grandfather, the man who had founded P.A.R.C.A. or at least began the efforts that would come to lead to its formation.

Although unintentional, Thomas's own biological grandfather had taken a role in the formation as well, the memories of the event slowly coming forth. Calling himself Light at the time and nearing the end of his cycle, Light had come across Jung Sailtu, a retired and partial failure of a ship captain. Both of them sharing views that pokémon weren't beasts, despite the common claims, and both having personal experience to say otherwise. Light, of course, far more then anyone else. They had talked for a while, before being forced into saving a group of pokémon, who were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to help save some people from a rockslide. Since then, the Sailtu family had worked hard to try sharing the truth about pokémon, and showing others that they weren't beasts and monsters. At the time, they were shunned, but the Sailtu family refused to give up even after Light left them. That was nearly 160 years ago.

Thomas just had to smile though, knowing that their work had gone so far, having officially become a strong organization just before the first of the 'modern' day trainers started to arise and become common. Their first official act when they were just starting was building the very first Pokémon Center, and now forty years later, Pokémon Centers and P.A.R.C.A. were both well known around the globe.

Thomas's memories were cut short when he felt Andrew put an arm on his shoulder. "You sure you're okay?" He asked. "You've spaced out quite a lot lately." He stated with a slightly worried look.

"I just have a lot on my mind." Thomas smiled back and gave him back the pamphlet. "But you're right. It might be a good idea to join them. I'm still not sure what I want to do, but that could be a good start." He said as Andrew nodded himself.

"I trust that you'll always be able to do the right thing, no matter what problems you face." Andrew smirked as he took the pamphlet and set it down with the other one that was there. He turned and walked off towards the kitchen where he knew Vivian was already hard at work with breakfast, as well as reviewing recipes that could be used for Thomas's party tomorrow.

Thomas followed along through another hall, filled with more statuettes and portraits of pokémon, reflecting the great respect that the Falstons had for pokémon, as well as their ambitions to see pokémon and humans live hand in hand with each other. Andrew's personal dream, as he made well known, was to one day talk with pokémon, but he still constantly worked alongside his wife Vivian who had made multiple small advances in pokémon medical care. Her current project that had drawn so much attention lately was working on a way to accelerate the healing process by an estimated rate of five hundred percent as well as trying to apply a small scale healing effect to pokéballs as well.

While both of them had worked so hard on their projects and earned such things as this mansion in their efforts, they had always cared for Thomas as best they could. Walking into the kitchen at last, Thomas could see his foster mother hard at work. Preparing a large batch of Thomas's favorite pancakes with a full spread of fancy jams and jellies, fruit syrups and berries to top them with. All of which made him smile.

Dressed in her usual home clothing of a floral dress with some simple slippers, the lady a bit older then Andrew, was hard at work mixing up the next batch of batter as the last batch was on the skillet slowly turning a shade of golden brown. "Oh, Thomas." Vivian smiled making sure she didn't spill the batter as she stirred. "Are you alright? You really mustn't keep putting yourself in harms way. I know you care for your pokémon, but sometime its best to let them handle things." She said with a rather concerned and high pitched voice. "I know you don't like putting them in harms way if you don't have to, but that doesn't mean you have to step in all the time too." She sighed as she looked at him, only to quickly smile again. "But that doesn't matter now. You're alright and healthy and you saved Hanna, not to mention how you helped at the beach with those wild gyarados."

"Yes, I'm fine now. Don't worry about it, I just did what I thought I had to." Thomas smiled to reassure her that he was fine.

"I'm glad." She smiled right back relieved that she thought everything was fine. "Today, I've got a full sized breakfast almost ready for you, and then you spend the day resting up. I've got a little bit of work after breakfast, but come tomorrow, its all about you. I've invited the Sigil's, including Sarah since she's home too, and I've also invited Jeffery and his brother. I hope you don't mind, but you and Jeffery were such good friends before you started your journey and I know you've met his brother Daniel a few times. Oh, and our boss Chan will be there too. He even has a job offer for you to consider if you want it, he can tell you more about it tomorrow."

"Mr. Brakins?" Thomas asked a bit confused, not really knowing much at all about the man. "What's the job offer?"

"I don't want to spoil the surprise, and don't ask your father, even he doesn't know what the offer is." Vivian smiled as moved to take the last of the first batch of pancakes off the stove, starting the second batch.

"I see." Thomas stated rather calmly, knowing that in the end he wouldn't take the job anyway, feeling even worse about things that she had gone through the trouble of trying to get him a job.

Vivian didn't give Thomas much of a chance to stay quiet, quickly doing her usual thing of asking questions, always wanting to hear what he had been doing lately. "How have your travels been?" She asked. "Are you still getting looks from the ladies, you never talk about meeting up with anyone."

Thomas cursed himself silently in his head, having completely forgotten that she would have certainly asked about this topic. Thanks to the invention and now common use of electronic mail, or e-mail as it had come to be called in this age, Thomas had managed to keep in contact with the Falstons even when he wasn't home, often sending a short letter back home almost every month to let them know he was doing. They would both of course send him back letters in return. In the past year however, Vivian seemed to have taken an interest in if he was seeing anyone.

Normally, he would merely answer in his usual method that he had not found anyone who he had taken a serious interest in, and he wasn't ready to sit down and come back home yet. Had he come home a week sooner, he could have used the same story and told the truth in it. However, he didn't want to lie her. "No… I'm… not seeing anyone." He stated a bit hesitantly, Andrew knowing why he lied, but not saying anything, hoping that Vivian wouldn't catch on as well.

Vivian did however catch on and gave him a confused and focused look. "Is something wrong Thomas?" She asked. "Did something happen? Are you trying to hide something?" Vivian was worried, but for more reasons then just if Thomas was hiding something, although neither Thomas nor Andrew could tell.

"Its nothing." Thomas stated knowing that she had caught on. "I… there was someone… a while back." He stated softly, having learned to lie when needed to, no matter how much he hated to do it, even more so when he cared for those he was forced to hide the truth from. The fact that he was going to hurt them no matter what he did in the end only made things even worse as he took a deep breath. "It was… complicated. We liked each other a lot, but it just wouldn't have worked out." Thomas explained remembering a girl who was quite eager to join up with him, aside from being scared of Radara, which he of course refused to give up. The memory of the girl made it easy to think up a lie however and he played off of that. "She was scared of psychic types, but I wasn't going to give up Radara. She's done so much for me, helping raise me, I just couldn't bring myself to send her away with a clean conscience. We went our separate ways and I haven't seen her for months." Thomas explained using a tiny bit of his power to try and help the story stick.

Vivian looked him over for a few, as if judging him, but quickly smiled. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried." She said. "I understand why you couldn't stay with her and leave Radara behind. Its like you two are brother and sister, you take such good care of each other." Vivian smiled, not knowing just how truthful her statement about himself and Radara actually was. Still, the lie appeared to stick and, much to Thomas's thanks, Vivian had dropped the subject as she returned to working on the large breakfast. "Why don't you just relax a while. The doctor still wants you to take it easy after all. That gas is bad enough on pokémon, your lucky the small dose you got didn't leave you stuck in the hospital for a week."

Thomas smiled and nodded. "Yea, that could have been a lot worse." He said thinking more about what might have happened if his secret had gotten out rather then the damage the gas could have caused him. With her going back to work, he moved to look over the rest of the mansion wondering where Saber might have gone, knowing that he would need to talk with the absol at some point as well.

As he left the kitchen, Andrew was quick to follow along, once out of ear shot, turning to Thomas. "I'm sorry about that. I wasn't expecting her to ask such a direct question." Andrew sighed. "It almost seems like she really wants you to get with Sarah lately. I know Sarah speaks highly of you, even though you seem to be leaving her behind lately."

"Its not that I don't like her… its just I'm not so comfortable around so many people. She enjoys large shows and meeting everyone she can. I'm just more comfortable out in the wild, taking the slow road." Thomas explained as he recalled the neighbors who readily accepted them, having an estate of their own right next to the Falston's before they moved in.

The Sigils were a nice bunch, also working with Devon Corp, but more as public relations people rather then scientists. Their daughter, roughly the same age as Thomas himself. Sarah was a very active young girl at the time, always trying to learn about pokémon, wanting to be a coordinator just like the ones she always saw on TV. Although they started off as very good friends, Thomas slowly learned to enjoy the background of things, staying out of sight, enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Sarah never once let up on her want to be the center of attention, always looking to earn the spotlight as best she could, going on to become a very skilled coordinator.

In truth, Thomas didn't really hate Sarah, even though he had his problems with her, but he tried to push those thoughts out of his mind. "In any event, I think it might be best if I move out soon or something." He said. "If I'm going to be with Rebecca and not telling Vivian, then I can't really do much here. If what you said is true, I really don't want to upset her that badly." He said as leaned up against a wall. "Say I wanted to purchase a cabin or something, nothing large, but out of the way." Thomas stated looking up to him. "I have plenty of cash for basic things, but I may need a co-signer if I wanted a place of my own."

Andrew just smiled and nodded. "If that's what it takes for you to be happy, then I'll buy you a place myself. I know you, you won't go over board." He said as he patted Thomas lightly on the shoulder. "I think I can trust any decision you make and know for certain that you truly believe it's the right thing to do. You're father told me of a great many things he did, always helping out in the best way he could. When he died that night, me and Vivian could just tell that maybe it was meant to be this way. I'm sorry you never got to know him…" Andrew said, as he looked Thomas over. "But I know for certain he would be proud of you. I can just tell that you're going to grow up destined for something great. And I'll be cheering you on in my own way the whole time. You can move out whenever you want after tomorrow. You'll be a legal adult and I trust you know exactly how to care for yourself, having spent eleven years doing it already. Just don't forget, you'll always be welcome back home." He stated with a large smile before nodding for Thomas to walk off. "Go on, be with her. Explore the gardens or our private beach, somewhere where you have all the time you need today… once you've had breakfast at least. You've got to at least give your mother that much today. She's worked hard on it after all."

Andrew didn't know it, but Thomas could feel more then truth in his words. Perhaps Andrew could be left with hope for Thomas, and he could tell him something of the truth down the road. The small speech still left a large hole in Thomas however. Andrew was the perfect father for Thomas, the best father that Thomas had ever known in any of his lifetimes. Thomas forced a large smile to his face as he nodded. "I know everything will work out in the end, it always does around here doesn't it?" He smiled as Vivian called out the breakfast was ready.

"Go on and eat up. We'll talk about things tomorrow." Andrew stated as he walked off to do some things of his own.

Thomas just nodded as he turned back for the dining room taking a few deep breathes as he truly had to think about what all he was going to do. After a few though, he once again dawned his fake smile, hoping to have one more good talk with his mother before he would leave her, and hoping that she would remember him as he was.

-X-

Breakfast had proved rather uneventful, Vivian doing most of the talking, for all of the few minutes that she was able, before being called over by Andrew that Devon Corp was on the phone and had some questions. This left Thomas alone to enjoy his meal, as well as take plenty of extra for his pokémon as he finished and moved up stairs.

Once inside, Rebecca was once again on him, whining a bit as she looked up him, obviously concerned about something. "We'll talk out back on the beach, can you just wait that long?" He asked as he looked to Radara, who quickly moved up to enjoy the pancakes that Thomas had set down for both her and Juno.

'_Rebecca seems a bit reluctant to accept my explanation. You may have to show her a few more examples of what you truly are.'_ Radara stated as he looked over Rebecca, who was obviously at a loss for words.

He patted the lucario's head a few times and scratched her ears some before moving, making sure to go arm in arm with her as they left the mansion and walked out back unnoticed.

"Rebecca, are you okay?" He asked as they reached the large flower gardens out back on their way down the private beach that the Falston's owned.

'_Thomas, what was all that non-sense that Radara told me about? She didn't make any sense, about you, herself, about anything…_' Rebecca whined as she looked at him, Thomas feeling her look over his aura.

Thomas was at a bit of a loss of words himself as he bit his lip a bit in frustration. "Just ask me anything, we'll start with that." He stated after coming up with a blank.

'_What did she mean that you aren't mortal, she kept calling you two twins, children of the Great Mother Arceus. How can that be? You can't really be immortal, we've grown so much together, and this thing about being hunted as a demon, what's that about? Surely none of that's real is it? You're just a human right? With a special mind, like those other humans who can bend spoons and things.' _Rebecca's aura voice was mixed, obviously worried and puzzled with her rapid-fire questions.

"Woah woah woah, slow down." Thomas pulled her in close. "Not so fast okay? Let's start with what I am, what both me and Radara really are okay." Thomas said as he continued to hold her close. "I… haven't been entirely truthful with that, but it was for your own safety. Yes, me and Radara are siblings, twins in fact, born side by side, children of Arceus." He stated slowly. "But just because that's the truth doesn't mean it will change anything. It will be hard, I know it will, but I do love you. Nothing will change that. It… it took me a long while to admit it because I was scared okay."

She looked up to him even more confused now as they walked, having never heard him admit to such a thing before. She had seen her trainer take on mons larger than himself, do things that other trainers thought insane, go up against what many thought impossible, and it was always the same with him, wanting to protect others over his own health, and then just walking away.

'_Y-you… scared?_' She said looking up to him. He just nodded as she looked, deep into his aura and sure enough she could see his fear growing now as the subject was brought up. _'Of wh-what?'_

"Of what I am…" Thomas stated rather quickly as he gave a small sigh. "Of what it means to be what I… I am … my blood… my family line is unique." Thomas stuttered unable to find the words best needed for now. "I am immortal, despite what how I look and how we've grown up." Thomas stated just taking a seat on the bench he was next to in the hedge gardens, the furthest reaches of the estate before the cliffs and the beach, but a perfect place to hide none the less.

'_But how can that be?'_ Rebecca said, having known as truth, as fact that she had grown up with him, that he had been a child himself when he found her and rescued her. _'We've grown up so much over the seasons that we've been together. How can you be immortal if you were raised by the Falston's as their child, you can't be as old as Radara says you are? And isn't Arceus male, so many of your human legends tell of his grace, his power, his might to rule?'_ Rebecca continued to whine, making Thomas feel worse.

Thomas just gave a weak smile as he nodded, her words were true, at least true that they had grown up together. "Immortality… what sets gods above men and mon alike. Only… it's not what it use to mean. The word today, its been perverted, misinterpreted, twisted, changed, mangled even. The so called Fountain of Youth, the Elixir of Immortality, all just myths, legends, hopes and dreams of men and mon that they can live and never die." Thomas stated as he leaned back. "Immortals, the legendary pokémon, Arceus. Those are the immortals, and her chosen children, meant to bridge the gap that had formed between mon and man. No one lives forever, a motto that was first used by the real immortals. And its true, everything dies in time. What gives us immortality isn't everlasting life, its that we do die, but its what we pass on to our kin."

Thomas explained. "In most cases, a child is born and takes genes from both of its parents, and that's what makes him unique. When an immortal has a child however, they pass on so much more. Their memories, the memories of their entire bloodline from first birth to current day are locked away, stored in a special kind of aura of sorts, dormant until needed. This aura dictates what we are, it's our literal life's blood, storing the very essence that makes us immortal. Our power, our looks, our memories… everything is part of that special kind of aura." Thomas explained. "When I turned nine, that aura awoke in me, told me what I truly was, that my life as I knew it was only the start of something so much larger. It's the greatest thing you could ever know, the first pull of knowing your destiny right then and there. At least… it was… in older times." Thomas's voice quickly went quiet with his last words, Rebecca feeling a great depression coming over him. She just watched as she saw him change so quickly before her.

'_Thomas… what's really wrong here, what are you really so afraid of?'_ She asked as she watched his aura change and twist, unable to decide what feeling was truly dominant in his mind, but always seeing a sizable part of his aura showing his fear.

He remained quiet for a few before slowly looking up to her. "Radara told you that she wouldn't let me sabotage this feeling, that I wasn't allowed to forsake another potential lover." Thomas sighed as he looked down. "For the past five generations, my bloodline has… lived in solitude, only doing what he had to do to survive, ignoring everyone else we could. They spent their lifetimes working as hard they could to instill certain habits, learning to ignore the females around or repulse them in small ways…"

Rebecca just looked to him as she leaned into him._ 'But… what does that have to do with you? You want this right, you love me don't you? You're father, he's dead, he can't do anything to keep us apart can he? And Andrew, he approves, he wants us to be together…_' She whined as she looked at him and his aura, Thomas concentrating rather hard to let her see the large massive layers that were normally hidden away, that special aura he was talking about.

She could only gasp some and back up a bit in shock, seeing his aura grow so immense and large, so diverse and appearing to be formed in many layers, each with their own unique look that set them apart as different creatures.

"I am not the man my father was." Thomas said as he let her look over him. "But they still hold influence over me. Radara's fear of tight spaces, why she hates pokéballs and being unable to accept going too far underground. That was something from long long ago. A few generations ago, her great-great-grandmother was a vaporeon. She had just evolved and was once again learning how to use that kind of body when we were caught in an attack. For two days, she was left stuck buried under a collapsed roof in the middle of a rock slide. Physically, she was fine, but she barely had room to even turn her head, and every day that space she was in got smaller. She's had a fear of small cramped places ever since." Thomas explained, Rebecca able to understand why someone would be scared of small places now, but failing to understand what that had to do with anything. If Radara's great-great-grandmother had been the one to experience that pain, she didn't know how Radara herself would have that fear without knowing that feeling herself, much less how this had anything to do with Thomas right now.

'_You're not making any sense.' _The lucario whined as she once again moved to hold onto him.

"In the same way that Radara's claustrophobia comes from something that she did not personally experience within the body she knows today, my father and recent bloodline still hold power over me." Thomas stated as he looked to her. "My instincts tell me to shove you away, just leave you here when I take off. My bloodline has spent the past 600 some years hurting those who wanted their love, pushing them away, leaving them behind, just vanishing without a second thought." Thomas stated as he bit his lip looking over her, feeling the pull that was still there, the influence of his recent past lives still having some say in his life, the memories of their actions, their subconscious thoughts still in his head trying to help him survive just like that had done.

'_T-Thomas… you… you can't be… really thinking that.'_ Rebecca stated as she pulled him closer, tears forming in her eyes. '_Y-you said… you'd wo-ork with m-me… t-t-to m-make this hap-pen.'_

"I will." Thomas quickly stated pulling her into large hug, letting her cry a bit in his chest. "It… my bloodline… they…" Thomas couldn't find the words he was looking for as he looked at his lucario, so weak and vulnerable in his arms right now. He just let her cry as she held him now. He couldn't help but think how fast things had taken a turn like this. A week ago, he had been perfectly fine, his only concerns were figuring out how to fake his death.

Now though, Radara had forced him into taking action and admitting his feelings for Rebecca, taking her as a lover now, while the Falston's prepared to celebrate a party, doing so much for him, Andrew even accepting his choices, and yet he would still have to leave them, not to mention that he was now going through the Day of Remembrance just to complicate things further.

"Rebecca… I'm sorry for all of this." Thomas finally broke the silence. "I will never leave you, no matter what happens. Its just been so long, the last person that…" Thomas went quiet as the memories of the last real love his bloodline had felt surface, the tragic images of how they had been found one day. A heavy reminder to part of the reason that his recent ancestors had worked so hard to avoid letting anyone get close.

At his words though, Rebecca looked back up to him, seeing such great sadness in his aura, a sadness shared by all the pieces that she could see of it. "I want this… I-I need this…" Thomas stated softly as he looked to her. "Its just so many things could happen. Her… name was Yolanda… and she was the last to share a place in the heart of my bloodline." Thomas stated. "I just don't know if I can… she was taken so brutally from me… I don't know if I could keep going if it happened again…" Thomas stated as he pulled her closer, not caring that he pulled her so close that her chest spike dug into his chest. "I'm not the rest of them, but their memories, I can see and hear them so clearly at times… I just don't want the same thing to happen you. There are people out there, people who want me dead, who have hunted me for over 600 years. They killed Yolanda… and if they catch us, they would do the same to you…"

Feeling him pull her so close, seeing his aura so torn before her, wanting but fearful. His aura told her all that she needed to know for now as the vast number of extra layers slowly faded away, leaving his aura alone for her to see. With just his aura there now, it became much easier to read, but reassured her that he was speaking the truth, no matter how little sense it made.

"I won't leave you…" Thomas said softly as she calmed down, if only a little bit. "I promise… I will never leave you." He said again, just a whisper in her ear as he continued to hold her close.

-X-

Time passed quietly as they merely sat there, Rebecca still in Thomas's arms as he held her, neither one finding the words to speak when they had heard something coming closer, Thomas quickly looking over just in time for something to walk around the corner of the hedge maze.

His ninetales was just walking along only to see them as she moved to his side, looking at the two of them, before smiling. "We're fine… I think." Thomas stated softly, the ninetales giving a soft nod.

'_Is… is it true? What all Thomas said?_' Rebecca asked the ninetales quietly keeping her words from Thomas right now. _'Is… does his kind… really share their memories, the memories of past lives, of what happened to… to Yo-Yola-landa?'_

Juno could only look down at the comment. {Yolanda… was before my time, before I joined the one known as Soular, the name given to Thomas by his mother, his true mother Arceus.} Juno explained. {Those were dark times… very dark… I'd rather not betray Thomas's trust for letting me travel with him for the past 600 years. Just know that Yolanda was raped and murdered by the group that hunts him now, that's what he fears so much.} Juno stated as she walked off, leaving Thomas there with Rebecca.

Rebecca could only nod lightly at Juno's words as she walked off, and down the first of the ramps to the private beach that the Falston's owned. _'Thomas…' Rebecca looked to him. 'What… wh-hat happened… to Yol-landa… What… did s-she mean to you… who was she… what happened to make you so scared that you have trouble trying to love me?' _She asked as she looked to him, knowing that she was bringing up bad memories, but she had to know what had caused him so much great harm if what he was saying was true.

"I went by a different name back then…" Thomas replied slowly. "A name I use to be proud of, a name that meant something, a name that… that my true mother gave me. That man… he was Soular. It was the last years that he lived before… before the trouble that turned us into targets… he married a young woman, Yolanda, a servant of the emperor at the time… It was with his blessings that Yolanda was allowed to leave… a gift to the children of the god… Arceus… Before it happened… Yolanda was… great, a reminder of what Soular stood for… a source of life… hope… the great calm in trying times. And then… then it happened, and they came... Soular was away, and when he came back… the cabin, it was a mess, only his sister had survived if barely. What happened there, it… it broke him, and Soular was no more. That was the day that he died, that my bloodline died inside." Thomas stated, slowly, taking many long pauses as he went, barely a whisper.

Rebecca could only see a great sadness once more in his aura now as he spoke, feeling bad for putting him through it again, but she got the answer she needed for now. She was still curious, she would still need to know more later, but not now. She did not want to hurt Thomas anymore.

'I… I won't leave you.' She reminded him, holding him close now as she turned his head to make sure he was looking at her. She gave him a deep kiss, as best she could, even if very awkward from their different bodies.


End file.
